Tiger flashback: The loose-impediment ruling that rocked the golf world … and still does today

A one-ton boulder, a PGA TOUR rules official and a young Tiger Woods met up 25 years ago in the Sonoran Desert on the 13th hole of TPC Scottsdale.

The year was 1999. The month was January. It was the last Sunday of the month and the final round of the 65th Phoenix Open. It was so long ago, the WM Phoenix Open didn’t yet have a title sponsor.

It was one of the most incomparable and bizarre scenes in the history of professional golf. Approximately a dozen men from the tournament gallery were bent over at the waist straining their muscles to flip a massive boulder away from Woods’ preferred line of flight.

Witnesses to this wild scene reflect on the ruling that was surprisingly aligned with the official Rules of Golf. But, many still feel it gave an unfair advantage to Woods, 23, a budding superstar, in his third full year on the PGA TOUR.

The tee shot

It all started with a booming, pulled tee shot as Woods attempted to cut the corner of the cactus-filled dogleg par 5. It was best described by David Feherty, then CBS’ on-course announcer during the telecast, “He took it right over the ‘pricklys.’”

The ball bounded a couple of times through the Scottsdale desert, dodged the cacti and collided with the giant rock. The ball caromed backwards a few feet.

That is when the Shakespearian-type one-act play began.

A Thunderbird at the scene

Mike Tiffany, Phoenix attorney and a member of The Thunderbirds organization since 1978, picked up the story and narratesd his presence.

“I was assigned to the final pairing, which was Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate," shared Tiffany in an interview in November 2023. "I was the Thunderbird who was there from the start.

“When Tiger Woods hit his golf ball next to the boulder, I immediately went over and stood there next to his ball until the official came over for the ruling. Tiger was very calm during the wait. It was very interesting, he was a real nice person throughout. Initially, I heard Tiger say, ‘I thought it was lighter than it was. I thought I could move it.’”

The official and his ruling

Orlando Pope, 36 years old, the PGA TOUR rules official, then became the next actor as he entered stage left.

“On the golf course, we work in ‘zones,'" explained Pope, the current senior director of TV rules and video analyst for the PGA TOUR. "I was over on the front side, on the seventh hole, when the call came in. The rules official for that zone had been called away for some reason and I was the closest official.

“I pulled up in my cart and asked about the situation. Tiger Woods pointed to this boulder and said it is just lying there. I asked him, ‘What do you mean … it’s just lying there?‘

“Tiger said he thought it was decorative and it wasn’t attached, it was a loose impediment. I’ve got to give him credit. Looking back I would have never thought about asking for that ruling.”

Pope, dressed in gray slacks and light blue shirt with walky-talky in hand, closely examined the underside of the boulder and agreed with Woods, it was indeed “loose.”

“Tiger then asked if he could move it and I said yes,” shared Pope, in a telephone interview in November 2023. “Tiger thought for a moment, then asked if he could have help. I responded, ‘You can have all the help you want.'"

That is when the entire scene, calm up to that point, became chaotic.

With the encouragement of Tiffany, Fluff Cowan, Tiger’s caddy, and others, the spectators got excited and moved on stage to help. Others, including Rocco Mediate, his playing partner and tournament leader, stood by the ball to make sure it wouldn’t be moved, to avoid a penalty.

The make-shift posse surrounded the rock. They pushed and pulled from different angles and the rock didn’t budge. The group straightened up, laughed and decided to try again … This time "on three." The boulder then gave way to a quarter turn. A member of the proud team asked Tiger if that was enough. Woods surveyed the angle and replied, “Do it again.”

As instructed, the dozen guys dutifully took their positions and in one final push, moved it another turn. The successful team stepped aside as Tiger, outfitted in his signature Sunday red shirt and black slacks, took center stage again.

Tiger, smiling throughout, then moved a few paces away, as if in a receiving line. He shook hands and thanked each guy who had helped him clear the path in the most remarkable manner. Woods then ripped his next shot out of the desert towards the green. Closed curtain.

Oh, by the way, Tiger’s recovery shot found the greenside bunker. He then blasted out of the sand to 3 feet and converted the putt for a "not-so-ho-hum" birdie four. He went on to finish in third place behind Mediate, the eventual 1999 Phoenix Open champion.

The aftermath: It went viral

“I had no idea it would be as big as it was,” shared Pope. “I went into the clubhouse and Ben Nelson of our team asked me if I was sure about the ruling. I said I was 100% sure.”

On the flip side, Pope learned later that Ken Venturi, tour veteran and longtime CBS broadcaster, had adamantly shared with the television viewers that there was no way Woods should have been able to move the rock. Regardless of Venturi’s commentary, the ruling stood, but that is not is where the discussion ended.

“The Super Bowl was telecast by CBS right after the final round,” Pope explained. “It was brought up during that broadcast.”

And even back then, according to Pope, “It went viral.”

Now, after 25 years, with expanding social media and YouTube videos, has Pope become recognizable as he travels from tournament to tournament?

Pope simply replied, “No,” with a chuckle.

“However, a couple of times the ruling has come up for discussion," explained Pope. "One is at the PGA TOUR rules seminar. I get attacked with questions on why I made the ruling I did. Second, when we bring in new staff, they ask about it during orientation, because it is usually included in one of the slides. The biggest question asked is about the pace of play, since Woods and Mediate got behind on the clock.”

“My answer has always been the same: ‘It takes a long time to move a 2,000-pound rock.’"

The boulder

As for the boulder … It may be the only rock on the PGA TOUR that has its own signature plaque. Several years ago, the staff of the TPC Scottsdale attached this wording to its side:

"1999 Phoenix Open: On January 31, during the fourth round, Tiger Woods' tee shot came to rest in proximity to this 1-ton boulkder. After being ruled a 'loose impediment,' a group of spectators moved the boulder, allowing Woods to birdie the hole."