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Masters 2013: Thrilling finish to a controversial Tournament

Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, shakes hands with Tom Watson, right, on the driving range during a practice round for the Masters golf tournament. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Roar Guru
15th April, 2013
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There is no doubt that the US Masters is the biggest and best golf tournament of the year, and the 2013 edition got the send off it deserved with a thrilling playoff in the last few minutes of daylight which saw Adam Scott become Australia’s first Masters champion.

The moment capped off an extraordinary finish to a controversial week at Augusta National.

The week saw 14-year-old Guan Tianlang become the youngest ever Masters participant, and the talented Chinese golfer went on to become the leading amateur for the week.

He was handed down a one-stroke penalty late in Friday’s second round for slow play, after being put on the clock from the 12th hole onwards.

Guan respected the decision handed down by the officials but his playing partner Ben Crenshaw was sorry it happened to the youngster.

World No. 1 Tiger Woods chimed in with his comments on the issue but that’s where it started to get interesting.

“Well,” Woods said. “Rules are rules.”
Woods came under fire later that day when it became known that he took an illegal drop after finding the water on Hole 15.

Woods should have re-hit the ball from where his previous shot was, but intimidatingly he took the drop an extra 2 yards behind his original shot to help him.

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Many called for him to be disqualified but Woods was only handed down a two-stroke penalty for the rule infringement.

This prompted calls from media and fans for him to disqualify himself, but to no avail as he went on to finish the tournament in a tie for 4th alongside Marc Leishman.

There were also plenty of questions asked whether another player (say Guan) would have been handed down the same punishment if it had in fact happened to them instead of the tournament draw card.

It was probably a good thing that Woods didn’t go on to win the tournament as it would’ve have been remembered for Friday’s incidents, rather then for the thrilling finish on Sunday evening.

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