Tour professional golfer Stewart Cink won the MCI Heritage Golf Tournament last Sunday at Hilton Head over Ted Purdy by making a birdie on the fifth playoff hole. However, on his approach shot to the green on that hole, it appeared that Cink improved the lie of his ball in a waste bunker by creating an indentation behind the ball so that his sand wedge would be less likely to bounce off the surface before striking the ball. Cink proceeded to hit the shot stiff to within six feet of the pin and sunk the birdie putt for the win.
Rule 13.2 of the Rules of Golf provides in relevant part as follows:

13-2. Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing, or Line of Play
A player must not improve or allow to be improved:
? the position or lie of his ball,
by any of the following actions:
? creating or eliminating irregularities of surface, [or]
? removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots or other cut turf placed in position . . .

Television showed Cink removing loose impediments behind his ball (which he is allowed to do) and then, on a close up, a clear indentation behind the ball where Cink was removing the loose impediments. Accordingly, several television viewers called in to Tournament officials and reported the apparent rules violation, which would have resulted in a penalty to Cink that would awarded the victory to Purdy. Upon reviewing the matter immediately after Cink’s birdie putt, Tournament officials ruled that no violation had occurred and confirmed Cink’s victory.
Here is the explanation of the Tournament officials’ ruling on the matter, which I find less than convincing. Hat tip to Mr. Poon (the low handicap blogger) for the link.