AUGUSTA, Ga. » There are many ways to interpret Saturday’s ruling that allowed Tiger Woods to play golf this weekend at the Masters.

The fact that this week’s stop is at the most famous venue in the world and involves the game’s biggest star magnifies the decision, leaving more questions than answers for those who believe the integrity of the game should be held above all else.

After assessing a rare slow-play penalty to an eighth-grader from China on Friday, Masters officials slapped Woods with a two-stroke violation for breaking Rule 26-1a (improper drop) on Saturday. One decision was heavy-handed. The other too lenient.

A press conference concerning the reasoning for Woods not being disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard was pressure-packed as the men in the green jackets did their best to explain what they called "an important and complex ruling" about a half-hour before Woods teed off in the third round.

Their interpretation was based on Woods not deliberately breaking the rule, but rather misinterpreting it, and that, as they say, is the rub of the green. The world’s No. 1 player was given the benefit of the doubt.

He hit the flag stick on Friday at the par-5 15th and watched his golf ball ricochet into the water. Woods had several ways to go, but opted to return to where he hit his original shot and take the drop. His comments on the matter after the round proved to be his undoing.

THE RULE STATES that if a player chooses to go back to his original spot, the ball should be dropped as "nearly as possible" to the spot where it was last played. Video showed Woods dropped his ball at least a yard behind his previous divot. Woods himself told reporters on Friday it was 2.

"After meeting with the player, it was determined that he had violated Rule 26, and he was assessed a two-stroke penalty," said Fred Ridley, chairman of the Masters’ competition committees. He added that the penalty of disqualification was waived under Rule 33 because the committee "had previously reviewed the information (sparked by a TV viewer) and made its initial determination prior to the finish of the player’s round."

Rule 33 states that disqualification can be waived at the committee’s discretion. However, a decision that accompanies this rule says that the committee would not be justified to waive the DQ "if it was a result of the player’s ignorance of the rules or if he could have reasonably discovered his mistake before signing his scorecard."

Woods said on his Twitter feed prior to teeing off, "I took a drop that I thought was correct and in accordance with the rules. I was unaware at that time I had violated any rules. I didn’t know I had taken an incorrect drop prior to signing my scorecard."

AND THAT’S WHERE the slope gets slippery. In the land of Twitter, major winner David Duval believed Woods should have withdrawn from the tournament. Other professional golfers thought that because a TV viewer prompted the review, that the decision to assess a two-stroke penalty was better than outright disqualification.

In the golf movie "The Legend of Bagger Vance," Matt Damon’s character calls a penalty on himself when his ball moves after he tries to remove an obstacle. Only he and the young boy playing his caddie see it, and the boy begs him not to call the penalty, and insists that he would never tell.

Damon’s character does the right thing and it eventually costs him a chance to beat Walter Hagen and the great Bobby Jones, founder of the Masters. You have to wonder what Jones would have done in the same situation as Woods. Play on or withdraw?

WALKING NINE HOLES with Woods, there were plenty of opinions from the patrons looking on. They ranged from good decision to no way the sponsors wanted Woods disqualified for the weekend. Some say he messed up in the heat of battle. Others thought it didn’t matter, that he should have been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Still others felt strongly that he should withdraw and not cast any doubt should he go on to win.

There was a lot of talk on Friday about China’s 14-year-old wunderkind, Guan Tianlang, possibly missing the cut by one shot because of the penalty assessed for slow play. Fortunately for all involved that didn’t happen.

But imagine if Woods wins today and goes on to either tie or beat Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors by one. There will be plenty of people who believe an asterisk should be attached if Woods rallies today.

It’s a tough decision for all involved, but if Woods had just called a penalty on himself and withdrawn, much like Damon’s character, fans would have embraced him for it.

Reach Paul Arnett at parnett@staradvertiser.com or 529-4786.