The moment Tiger Woods’ wedge shot slammed into the flagstick on Augusta’s 15th hole in 2013, his ball ricocheted into Rae’s Creek—and unknowingly, into one of the most controversial rulings in Masters history.
At the time, Tiger was tied for the lead. Chasing a fifth green jacket. Focused. Dangerous. And then came the bounce.
The ball hit the pin flush and spun backward off the green, trickling into the water. What happened next looked like a textbook drop. A routine recovery. A simple bogey. Woods walked off the hole still in the hunt.
Until he opened his mouth.
The Drop That Was Fine—Until It Wasn’t
At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Tiger Woods had used one of the allowed options under Rule 26-1: drop the ball “as nearly as possible” to the original spot. That’s what everyone thought he did. Augusta’s rules committee even got a call from a TV viewer questioning it—but they reviewed the footage, saw no issue, and moved on.
Tiger signed his card. Round over. No penalty. Until the interview.
When asked about the drop, Woods gave a surprisingly honest—some might say too honest—breakdown of his thinking:
“I went back to where I played it from, but I went 2 yards further back and… tried to take 2 yards off the shot of what I felt I hit.”
That sentence changed everything.
It wasn’t just a slip. It was a violation.
Under the rules at the time, “as nearly as possible” meant just that. Not 2 yards back for a better number. Not “close enough.” His words—on camera—effectively admitted a rule breach. A casual confession that nearly ended his tournament.
A Midnight Phone Call, and a Saturday Morning Meeting
That night, Augusta National’s competition committee scrambled. Fred Ridley, then chairman of the rules, got a call during dinner. Tiger’s quote had changed the context of the drop. What once looked legal now seemed like a clear infraction.
So early Saturday morning, Tiger Woods got summoned to the club.
The meeting was quick, just 20 minutes. Tiger, to his credit, didn’t deflect.
According to Ridley, Woods was “very forthright” and admitted he hadn’t known the rule was that strict. He was just trying to adjust for the unlucky bounce.
“I told Tiger that… we felt there was now a question as to whether or not he had proceeded properly,” Ridley said. “He agreed.”
That could’ve been it. Automatic disqualification. Wrong drop, wrong scorecard.
Instead, the committee invoked Rule 33-7: a discretionary rule that allows waiving a DQ in “exceptional cases.” Because they had already reviewed and cleared the drop before Tiger finished his round, the committee took responsibility. Tiger would stay in the tournament—just with a two-stroke penalty.
Tiger’s Twitter Thread: Owning It
Woods took to Twitter, posting a four-part explanation that hit the right tone: humble, honest, and surprisingly gracious.
“I took a drop that I thought was correct… I was unaware at that time I had violated any rules.”
“I didn’t know I had taken an incorrect drop prior to signing my scorecard… I understand and accept the penalty.”
He didn’t argue. He didn’t blame. He didn’t storm off the course.
When asked later if he thought the ruling was fair, Tiger simply said:
“Absolutely. I made a mistake.”
He even admitted that emotions had gotten in the way: “I wasn’t even really thinking. I was still ticked at what had happened.”
From Triple to Tumble
The penalty turned a bogey-6 into a triple-bogey-8. Tiger’s second-round 71 became a 73. Instead of sitting three shots back, he was now five behind.
And in a tournament where every shot matters, that penalty changed the outcome.
Tiger battled. Shot a solid 70 in Round 3. But ultimately finished tied for fourth. Four shots behind Adam Scott. The fifth Green Jacket stayed just out of reach.
Adding salt to the wound? Scott’s caddie was Steve Williams—Tiger’s former longtime bagman.
The Fallout and the Fan Who Sparked It All
The whole situation also highlighted how bizarrely powerful TV viewers had become in golf. The original complaint came from David Eger, a former Champions Tour official, who called in after noticing the drop looked off.
“I knew how controversial it would be,” Eger later said. “But I was trying to save the player from being disqualified.”
That call, that one quote, and that late-night rules review—it all led to a rules shake-up that changed golf’s future.
Why This Moment Still Matters
In the aftermath, the USGA and R&A issued new guidelines for how committees should handle similar situations. The takeaway was simple: rules are rules, but there’s room for nuance—especially when video replays and media interviews enter the mix.
But for Tiger? It was a lesson in how even the smallest mistake, said out loud, can unravel everything.
All because of eight words:
“I went two yards further back and dropped…”
That’s it. That’s what almost cost Tiger Woods a major.
“I went back to where I played it from… but I went 2 yards further back.” — Tiger Woods
