Officials have been called in before for a Woods-related ruling

On Saturday morning, Tiger Woods was assessed a two-shot penalty on his second round scorecard for violating Rule 26 by hitting from the wrong spot after an improper drop on No. 15. Masters Tournament competition committee Chairman Fred Ridley decided under Rule 33-7 not to disqualify Woods for signing an incorrect scorecard because the committee had initially deemed his drop legal after reviewing visual evidence Friday night. This is not the first time officials have been called in for a Woods-related ruling.

2013 ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP – Tiger Woods incurred a two-stroke penalty after it was ruled he took an incorrect drop in the second round.

Woods’ tee shot at the par-4 fifth hole sailed right of the fairway and into some vegetation growing in the desert. After asking his playing partner Martin Kaymer to confirm it was a plugged lie, which the German did, Woods took relief thinking it allowed him to do so without penalty.

A European Tour rules official informed Woods as he was walking to the 11th green that they were looking into the drop. When he arrived in the scoring area after he’d finished what he believed was a 1-over 73 round to make the cut by one stroke, officials informed him the drop had been illegal and he would be assessed a two-stroke penalty for violating Rule 25-2.

The penalty caused Woods to miss the cut. Woods was asked by a rules official after the round if he wanted to drive out to the area to take a closer look, but he declined.

“That’s why I called Martin over to make sure that it was embedded,” said Woods. “Evidently I broke a rule. Consequently, I get two shots.”

2007 BRITISH OPEN – In playing the par-4 10th hole at Carnoustie in the opening round, Woods pulled his tee shot, with his ball coming to rest on top of a line of TV cables.

Royal & Ancient Rules official, Alan Holmes, walked up to Woods stating he could take a free drop from the cables given the American would struggle moving them, indicating that the cables were fixed.

Woods got to drop his ball one club length away in trampled grass, which immediately drew debate about whether he should have marked his ball, moved the cables and then taken a drop.

Woods went on to hole an 8-foot putt to save par in an eventual round of 2-under-par 69.

Woods finished 12th behind winner Padraig Harrington.

2006 WGC BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL – While playing the ninth hole in the second round, Woods hit a 9-iron shot over some trees and toward the green, 167 yards away. The ball traveled approximately 212 yards, landing in front of the clubhouse, bounding onto the roof and to an area behind the clubhouse.

Three rules officials took a half-hour to sort out the rules involved. A player gets five minutes to search for a ball before declaring it lost and being penalized stroke and distance. At the end of Woods’ five minutes, officials had determined that someone had picked up the ball.

Woods got relief without penalty and a clear shot to the green 84-yards away. He hit a wedge onto the green, and 2-putted for bogey.

“I thought the ball was out of bounds,” Woods said later.

Woods won the tournament in a playoff with Stewart Cink for his fourth win in a row.

2005 MASTERS TOURNAMENT – There was a question whether Woods violated rule 16(e) “standing astride or on line of putt” on the 14th hole during the first round. The rule states that “the player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride or with either foot touching, the line of putt or an extention of that line behind the ball.”

After reviewing the tape of Woods’ second putt, Will F. Nicholson Jr., the chairman of the competition and rules committees, said the tape was inconclusive and no penalty would be assessed.

1999 PHOENIX OPEN – Playing the par-5 13th hole in the final round at the TPC at Scottsdale Stadium Course, Woods hit his tee shot to the left of the fairway, well in-bounds but in the desert. His ball came to rest near a boulder that would interfere with his swing toward the green.

After surveying his situation, Tiger asked rules official Orlando Pope if the boulder was considered a loose impediment. Though the boulder was estimated to weigh nearly a ton, Pope correctly informed Tiger that the boulder was considered a loose impediment under the Rules of Golf. Woods then asked members of his gallery if they would assist him in moving it. A number of spectators rolled the boulder out of Woods’ way.

Woods was allowed relief under the “loose impediment” rule. This rule allows a loose impediment to be removed without penalty except if the player’s ball and the loose impediment are in or touching the same hazard. Since neither the ball nor the boulder was in a hazard, Woods was allowed to move it.

With a clear shot, Woods went for the green, made a birdie 4 but ended the tournament three shots behind winner Rocco Mediate.