Tiger responds to ruling

Augusta, GA – Tiger Woods took to social media Saturday to address the controversy surrounding his two-stroke penalty for an illegal drop.

Woods posted the following on his official Twitter feed:

"At hole #15, I took a drop that I thought was correct and in accordance with the rules. 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. Subsequently, I met with the Masters Committee Saturday morning and was advised they had reviewed the incident prior to the completion of my round. Their initial determination was that there was no violation, but they had additional concerns based on my post-round interview. After discussing the situation with them this morning, I was assessed a two-shot penalty. I understand and accept the penalty and respect the Committees' decision."

The violation in question occurred on the 15th hole Friday after Woods' third shot hit the flagstick and rolled back into the water that fronts the green. He had options under Rule 26-1 that included playing from a drop area or going back to the original spot and taking a drop from "nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played." Woods said in interviews afterward that he went two yards farther back, which led to additional reviews by the committee.

In the past, Woods would have been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.

However, Rule 33-7, which was announced in August 2011, protects a player from automatic disqualification after signing an incorrect scorecard if that player unknowingly violated a rule. A two-stroke penalty can then be assessed instead.