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Tiger Woods stays in the Masters, gets two-shot penalty

The golfing world is already divided on whether or not the sport’s top player should still be playing in Augusta.

Updated: 14.50

TIGER WOODS HAS been handed a two-shot penalty by tournament officials, following his controversial drop-shot at the 15th hole during Friday’s second round of the US Masters.

Woods is now five shots adrift of leader Jason Day on one-under-par for the tournament, though he avoids being eliminated from the competition outright.

There had been confusion over the penalty incurred after the world number one’s chip at the 15th hit the pin bounced back into the water.

Woods appeared to replay the shot from the same area that his initial shot ended up hitting the water, but it emerged after his press conference that he may have dropped the ball further away from the original position than is permitted.

Rule 26-1 of the United States Golf Association states that a player needs to take their drop “as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.”

Woods, however, indicated he had opted to take the re-stroke “two yards away” from the original position.

According to certain sources, he should have taken a two-stroke penalty and not the single extra shot that he put on his scorecard.

“I went down to the drop area, that wasn’t going to be a good spot, because obviously it’s into the grain, it’s really grainy there,” Woods said afterwards.

“And it was a little bit wet. So it was muddy and not a good spot to drop.

“So I went back to where I played it from, but I went two yards further back.

“I tried to take two yards off the shot of what I felt I hit – that should land me short of the flag and not have it either hit the flag or skip over the back.

“I felt that that was going to be the right decision to take off four right there. And I did. It worked out perfectly.”

(Credit: blinkfan12)

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    Mute 'Bull' Mick Daly PC
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:37 PM

    Not the first time his balls have got him in trouble

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    Mute richie meade
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:25 PM

    sinking the long one too many times off the course proved to be problematic

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    Mute Gerry Mc Cready
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:02 PM

    I know it wasn’t the Masters but a few years ago Harrington was disqualified from a tournament when he replaced his ball on the putting green and putted. A viewer on sky sports noticed that the ball moved a tiny fraction before Harrington putted and emailed the tournament officials resulting in Harrington’s disqualification for not penalising himself one shot for it. He claims he never noticed the ball moving. Harrington accepted it as that’s what the rule book says. Same has to go for Tiger.

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    Mute Andy McGeady
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:01 PM

    Nope, it’s not the same. The “HDTV” ruling was brought in to cove microscopic infringements not visible to the naked eye, just like Harrington.

    I’m pretty sure that two yards, when his original divot was clear as day *and* he admitted on TV that he’d deliberately gone two yards further back in order to gain an advantage is something very different.

    But if you still don’t believe me, read the ruling itself along with the examples given of what is and is not included:

    http://www.usga.org/news/2011/April/Rule-Revised-On-DQ-For-Incorrect-Card/

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    Mute Andy McGeady
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:27 PM

    Mr McCready – think I misread your comment originally but hope my link added to the understanding of the situation :)

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    Mute Max Power
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:30 PM

    Pardon my innocence to all the rules of golf but isn’t there an allowable area around the divot wherein he can take his drop? Only asking as looking at the replay he was no more than 2 club lengths back. Can anyone explain?

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    Mute benny the ball
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:44 PM

    They bottled it or should i say they need tiger there on sunday, he broke the rules regarding the drop & he also signed for the wrong score on his card. He most definitely should have been DQ’d as the rules of golf state & I assure if it was the open he would be calling a taxi.

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    Mute benny the ball
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:50 PM

    The penalty of disqualification was waived by the Committee under Rule 33 as the Committee had previously reviewed the information and made its initial determination prior to the finish of the player’s round.

    Above taken from the official statement from Augusta, surely woods signed for the wrong score & should be DQ’d.

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    Mute Cathal
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    Apr 13th 2013, 6:48 PM

    Max, the norm is within 1 club-length, but not closer to the hole… Hope this answers your question …
    Genuinely, he broke the rules, he should have known better… but i think a 2 shot penalty is very fair, and it means it will apply to all golfers going forward (that to me is the big plus out of this… no more senseless disqualification in competitions for apparently innocent and understandable misinterpretations of the rules).

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    Mute Max Power
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    Apr 13th 2013, 7:14 PM

    Thanks Cathal. Does it not have a larger effect when it comes to the singing of score cards? I thought that’s where the DQ was going to come from more so than the misplaced drop.

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    Mute Big Pat
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:17 PM

    Tiger cheating again! (Had to say it).

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:19 PM

    Tool

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    Mute Elrat
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:31 PM

    Again ???

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    Mute Jack Bauer
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:34 PM

    Really Elrat?

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    Mute ADEBAYO FLYNN BITCH
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:59 PM

    He is referencing the 5 a side football in tallaght last summer. He had his studs up, lets just leave it there.

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    Mute kevin osullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:39 PM

    If they follow their own rules he has to be chucked out. I’ve seen players disqualified for less.

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    Mute bignazza
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:13 PM

    Rules are rules but I hope he doesn’t get disqualified,today and tomorrow will not be the same without him.

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    Mute Alan Kelly Conductor
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:14 PM

    It’s marginal as to whether or not he will be DQ. But if you look at how tough the rules officials were (and rightly
    so) on the 14 year old for slow play then I imagine Woods will have the weekend off.

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    Mute Patw
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:00 PM

    Is the young fella not as excited to play on the famous course as the brilliant man himself……
    Same rules for everyone, yeah..

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    Mute Shifty Viper
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:21 PM

    He had no problems before he dropped his ball

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:11 PM

    They won’t. After the furore on Friday with the young lad, they won’t. It’ll be a two shot penalty

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:15 PM

    If he is penalised he has to be disqualified. He’d have signed for the wrong score…. Automatic DQ

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:32 PM

    Ah i know that David but do they really have the nuts to after yesterday

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    Mute Alan Kelly Conductor
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:32 PM

    Can’t be a 2 shot penalty. He will be DQ for signing for incorrect score.

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    Mute El Nig
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:33 PM

    How can you impose a two shot penalty if the score card is already signed & submitted ?

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:33 PM

    They’ll have to, especially after doing the young fella yesterday! It’s a disgrace

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    Mute Fergal Doyle
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:58 PM

    Crazy stuff … He signed his card! Can only be DQ!?!?!?

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    Mute Conor O'Callaghan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:59 PM

    Rewriting the rule book to serve TV? A sport that prides itself on integrity delivers itself a sucker punch with that ruling. They didn’t have the nards to DQ Tiger. They’ve set a precedent now.

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    Mute Alan Kelly Conductor
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:13 PM

    It’s marginal as to whether or not he will be DQ. But if you look at how tough the rules officials were (and rightly so) on the 14 year old for slow play then I imagine Woods will have the weekend off.

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    Mute Jim Walsh
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:14 PM

    Typical cowardly decision.

    Woods was quoted as saying “rules are rules” when he was asked about the penalty that was applied to young Guan. It now seems that the “rules are rules if you’re not Tiger Woods” is a more apt quote.

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    Mute James Hickey
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:59 PM

    He said himself about guan getting shot penalty “THE RULES ARE THE RULES”

    Cheater!!

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    Mute Max Power
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:41 PM

    You seem to have an axe to grind with Tiger calling him a cheater. He didn’t intentionally break the rules. If he is DQ’d I’m sure he will take it like a man but you’re stating that he went out I his way to break the rules knowing it was wrong to do so. That simply didn’t happen.

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    Mute James Hickey
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    Apr 13th 2013, 4:49 PM

    Cheater was a play on words…….. Hate explaining jokes

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    Mute Robert Gray
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:07 PM

    years ago……I think P’ Harrington…signed for a wrong score….only to think he had won a top tournament, at the Belfry. But Nope….he was correctly punished.
    Rules are Rules………he should be disqualified. Big Big shame though.

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    Mute Conor O'Callaghan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:17 PM

    It was the B&H back at the Belfry years ago. Harrington had a 5 shot lead going into the final round round and got disqualified just before tee-off. He had forgotten to sign a scorecard earlier in the week. The error was only noticed later because he had shot a course record that round and the club staff were looking to have the scorecard framed!! Horrible luck, but as you said he handled it graciously. Like he always has.

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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:33 PM

    I think the marker signed the players section instead of the marker. He said as an ex accountant he was concentrating on totting scores correctly and assumed that the players sig was his. He accepted the disqualification magnanimously stating golfers pride themselves on been their own referees. Podge won a lot of new fans that day. (I would have went nuts but I’m crap at golf so not a problem)

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    Mute Karl O Flynn
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:51 PM

    Seems to me that he was entitled to go back as far as he liked keeping the point where his ball last crossed the hazard and the pin in line. Jim furyk took a similar drop. He went back 10 or 12 yards further than his original strike position. (Rule 26-1b). It will all hinge on what his choice was at the crucial moment. There were three available.
    Technically he did not break any rule if the choice he made was the aligned with his mindset to go back as opposed to from original strike point. Only he and his caddy will have the true answer to that question.
    Personally I believe he knows the rules well enough to have made the right choice. No DQ.

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    Mute Nellie Oneill
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:40 PM

    Karl he didn’t go back from the last point the ball cross the hazard that would have been a line between the pin and the point where the ball entered that water
    He was meant to drop the ball as near has possible from his last shot he choose to go back 2 yards and broke the rules
    If he allowed to play it makes a mockery of the rules

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    Mute Rowan Murphy
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:49 PM

    “take he re-stroke”. Typos in The Journal are becoming a daily occurance.

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    Mute Blinky
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:53 PM

    Did you spell occurrence wrong intentionally?

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:16 PM

    It’ll be a disgrace if he is! Can’t see how he gained an advantage by doing what he did

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:22 PM

    thats not the point – but anyway – they have not the ba##sto DS him

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:34 PM

    I agree, but these stupid rules are a bit of a pisstake if you ask me.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:25 PM

    @David O’Sullivan. He would have gained an advantage. In fact I think he probably did. His first shot screwed back too far, so he moved the ball back a little and put a little less backspin on the second shot. It’s a bit like moving the ball back from where you should take a free in football so you chip the goalie.The question was whether he’d moved it too far.

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    Mute Kitty Prendergast
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    Apr 13th 2013, 4:13 PM

    David, rules are important! Sure didn’t the he say “rules are rules” yesterday?? I’m choking on the irony.

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    Mute David O'Sullivan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 4:52 PM

    There was a case similar to this last year, player wasn’t disqualified. If this didn’t involve tiger there’d be no debate

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    Mute Sean Duignan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:09 PM

    Very simple Golf is all about honesty and integrity. Tiger is world no 1 he should have disqualified himself…..

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    Mute Exile from Main St
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:11 PM

    The tiger rule .If has any clue he will voluntarily disqualify himself.

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    Mute OEFarrell
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:45 PM

    If it was any other golfer they would be disqualified !!!

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    Mute Ciarán Fagan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:39 PM

    According to Hunter Mahan’s twitter account Tiger’s gotten a two shot penalty..interesting…

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    Mute Nicholas Behan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:18 PM

    One or two shot penalty or even disqualification, either way its good news for Mcilroy’s chances this weekend surely?

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    Mute Max Power
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:24 PM

    Rory really has to kick on today. He seemed to struggle a bit for a while there. It’s there for the taking if he throws caution to the wind. If Woods is DQ’d it will be a shame. He is knocking on the door

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    Mute Padraig Nolan
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    Apr 13th 2013, 3:17 PM

    I just hope he goes on to win it by one.

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    Mute conor curtis
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:22 PM

    Lets hope not

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    Mute Rowan Murphy
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:13 PM

    I don’t claim to be a journalist.

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    Mute Tony Cuddihy
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    Apr 13th 2013, 1:18 PM

    Mea culpa, but typos happen to the best and the worst of us. Thanks for pointing it out Rowan. Changed now.

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    Mute Divian Mimieux
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:52 PM

    For Video Incorrect Drop of Tiger Woods enter here : http://goalshighlights.com/tiger-woods-disqualified-video-incorrect-drop/

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    Mute conor curtis
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    Apr 13th 2013, 12:35 PM

    I meant lets hope he is not DQ

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:09 PM

    Hi Karl. Your summing up’s more or less what they were saying on Sky News. He hasn’t been DQ’d as far as I understand it.

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    Mute Karl O Flynn
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    Apr 13th 2013, 2:13 PM

    If he is DQ’d it will kill the tournament. Hopefully not!!!

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    Mute Barry Hodnett
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    Apr 13th 2013, 4:42 PM

    I thought golf was a game about getting the ball in the hole not writing

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    Mute Padriag O'Utraged
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    Apr 13th 2013, 6:17 PM

    I enjoy playing & watching golf, especially the majors, but this really is least important non-news of the day.

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    Mute Barry Hodnett
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    Apr 13th 2013, 4:41 PM

    Does anyone not think this is a sport about getting the ball in a hole not writing! He has been penalized two shots for trying to gain an advantage! Why at professional level do they even have to keep there own scorecard! Lots of silliness really

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