Virtual Certainty

The 2008 Rules replaced the term reasonable evidence with virtual certainty. I was one of the referees for the western India Juniors in Pune.Aditya Suneja hit his tee shot which landed in the first cut and the landing was confirmed by all the players in the group. When he went to the ball, he could not find it , even after searching for 5 minutes.I was called at this stage. Inquiries revealed that nobody saw any crow picking up the ball. The fore caddy who was stationed also confirmed the landing of the ball, but did not know what happened afterwards.I applied rule 18-1 which demands knowledge or virtual certainty of the movement of the ball and not the landing. Otherwise , if the ball is not found, Rule 27-1 applies. As the case failed the test of virtual certainty and also the fact that this virtual certainty could not be confirmed within the 5 minute period,the stroke and distance 27-1 was applied.This displeased the player, but that was the only correct ruling applicable.