[FlJoePa]

How do you know that was the option he was using? You're assuming he was using option A under 26-1.

a. Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

I contend that he was using option B and thought he could go back as far as he wanted. Where he effed up was forgetting that the point of entry changed drastically after the ricochet off the flag stick.

b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or

[Hot Tabasco]

You're assuming he was using option A under 26-1.

I'm not assuming anything, I merely pointed out a portion of the rule that was posted at the start of this thread in an attempt to point out what Woods MAY have been thinking.

But that's all irrelevant since the tournament rules committee, fully aware of ALL the rules, held a press conference and gave a full explanation of what occured and why they reached the decision they did.

Any argument against them, such as yours, is purely conjecture and I have no desire to get into an argument about what Woods was or wasn't thinking when he took his penalty drop...........