Why Tiger Woods Hit Three Drives On 5th Hole In Masters Final Round

Woods hit three drives on the 5th hole in round 4, ultimately succumbing to a triple bogey seven

Tiger Woods plays a drive at The Masters
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tiger Woods was carted back to the 5th tee during the Masters final round despite having already hit two drives.

His first drive sliced right into the trees so he duly hit a provisional ball just incase he couldn't find his original. His first ball was found, but there was nowhere to drop it - and therefore he headed back to the tee to hit his third drive of the hole.

Once he found his first ball, his provisional ball that found the fairway was now deemed out of play. Due to golf's dropping procedures for when your ball is unplayable, he had three options and the best scenario, it turned out, was to drive back to the tee and take what is known as 'stroke and distance'.

Woods' options were to take a two club-length drop, go back in line with where his ball was and the pin or head back to the tee. There was no safe place to hit from within two club-lengths of his ball buried in the shrubbery, and he couldn't go back in line due to the out of bounds that lines the hole.

After heading back to the tee, he striped his drive down the fairway and went on to make a triple bogey to drop to +14 for the tournament. It was his highest score at The Masters since he made a 10 on the par 3 12th in 2020.

Woods is playing with amateur Neal Shipley in the final round after his highest ever Masters round of 82 on Saturday. He plays his 100th Masters round today after making a record 24th consecutive cut at Augusta National.

Rule 19 explained: unplayable ball

Stroke and distance

You must drop within one club-length not nearer the hole from the point where your last shot was played, estimating it to the best of your ability if you can’t be sure. If it was a tee shot, you may re-tee your ball anywhere within the teeing area.

Back on line

You must choose a reference point any distance behind the point where the ball is lying, keeping a straight line between that point and the hole.

Two club-lengths

You may also drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball is lying, not nearer the hole. 

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV