Tiger Woods is somewhere smiling after pro takes full advantage of rule

Dean Burmester got his hands dirty. Tiger Woods just thanked folks with his. 

Still, the cleverness was identical. The outcome, too. During Friday’s second round of the DP World Tour’s Qatar Masters, Burmester called on anyone with two arms and a good back at Doha Golf Club after his tee shot on the par-5 9th finished a few feet behind a 3-foot-tall by 6-foot-wide rock. Eight, including Burmester, lifted. 

“This is regarded as a loose impediment,” an announcer said on the Golf Channel broadcast. “Small fact: It weighs three tons. And they’re trying to move it for Dean Burmester, who’s driven it about 5 feet short of it and wants to get this out of the way so he can launch one.”

In play was the full use of Rule 15.1a, which covers the removal of loose impediments. An interpretation of the rule reads: “Loose impediments come in many shapes and sizes (such as acorns and large rocks), and the means and methods by which they may be removed are not limited, except that removal must not unreasonably delay play (see Rule 5.6a). For example, a player may use a towel, hand or hat, or may lift or push a loose impediment for removal. A player is also allowed to seek help in removing loose impediments, such as by asking spectators for assistance in removing a large tree branch.”

And ask spectators Burmester did. They and the pro slid the rock forward, and he received a clearer path for his second shot. 

“Watch your toes,” an announcer said on the broadcast during the lift.  

“And the back muscles,” another announcer said. 

Woods would be proud. At the 1999 Phoenix Open, he dumped a tee shot behind a bigger rock, then waved over about a dozen fans to move it. But unlike Burmester, Woods stood a few feet behind the action. 

He did shake everyone’s hands afterward, though.  

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Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.