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]

@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?

@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]

@bordelond

Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water?

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]

@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.

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.