Woods - in trouble on the 13th (Getty Images)

Tiger Woods' narrow escape from a two-stroke penalty at the Masters arose from a law of golf which may well be removed during the next revision of the rules.

At least one television viewer rang officials at Augusta to query the world number two's tap-in with the toe end of his putter on the 14th green.

The ruling in question concerns "standing astride or on the line of putt", which states that a player "must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride or with either foot touching the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball."

Woods was involved in discussions at the end of the first day, but tournament chairman Will Nicolson said: "The tape was inconclusive. No penalty will be assessed."

England's Brian Davis was disqualified from an event in Germany for breaking the same rule and signing his card before the infringement came to light.

Davis, in contention at the time, unwittingly committed the offence purely to avoid standing on a playing partner's line and to speed up play.

Following that incident European tour chief referee John Paramor made the case for the rule to be dropped because Davis was not seeking to gain an advantage and merely acting in line with the etiquette of the game.

Golf's rules are determined by the Royal and Ancient Club and the United States Golf Association and the matter is under review.

The discussion was actually over the 14th green, at least one television viewer having telephoned officials about Woods's tap-in for par.

Eventually it was announced that there was no penalty.

"We reviewed the tape and it was inconclusive," said Will Nicolson, chairman of the competition committee.

The ruling in question concerned "standing astride on on the line of putt,", which states that a player "must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride or with either foot touching the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball."