Has a pro golfer ever dropped a ball back into a water hazard?

[bordelond]

In the final round of the Masters yesterday, Tiger Woods hit a shot into the water and had to play a drop. Where he dropped the ball seemed too close to the water for my comfort – seemed like a bad roll could have landed that drop right back into the drink.

What do the rules of golf allow for a drop location? Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water?

[DSYoungEsq]

[QUOTE=bordelond]
In the final round of the Masters yesterday, Tiger Woods hit a shot into the water and had to play a drop. Where he dropped the ball seemed too close to the water for my comfort – seemed like a bad roll could have landed that drop right back into the drink.

What do the rules of golf allow for a drop location? Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water?
[/QUOTE]

@USGA Rules of Golf

c. When to Re-Drop
A dropped ball must be re-dropped without penalty if it:
(i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard; (ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard; (iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green; (iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds; (v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken under Rule 24-2b (immovable obstruction), Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions), Rule 25-3 (wrong putting green) or a Local Rule (Rule 33-8a), or rolls back into the pitch-mark from which it was lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball); (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course; or (vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than: (a) its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b) unless otherwise permitted by the Rules; or (b) the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or (c) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1). If the ball when re-dropped rolls into any position listed above, it must be placed as near as possible to the spot where it first struck a part of the course when re-dropped.
If a ball to be re-dropped or placed under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.
Note: If a ball when dropped or re-dropped comes to rest and subsequently moves, the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.

So it must be re-dropped if it rolls into a hazard. Actually, Tiger dropped in a drop area at #15, relatively flat. It was Appleby at #12 who ran this risk.

[Xema]

[QUOTE=bordelond]
Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water?
[/QUOTE]

I’ve seen this happen, and there are some places (e.g. ground sloping toward water) where it’s hard to avoid.

If it does, Rule 20 says that you re-drop without penalty. If you have the same problem with the re-drop, you then place the ball where the re-drop hit the ground.

[John_Mace]

[QUOTE=Xema]
I’ve seen this happen, and there are some places (e.g. ground sloping toward water) where it’s hard to avoid.

If it does, Rule 20 says that you re-drop without penalty. If you have the same problem with the re-drop, you then place the ball where the re-drop hit the ground.
[/QUOTE]

Yes, and some golfers will purposely try and trigger that rule since placing the ball will usually result in a better lie than if you have to drop it.