Golfers who have fallen foul of eagle-eyed TV viewers
Lexi Thompson became the latest golfer to be thwarted by a television viewer spotting a rules violation at the ANA Inspiration.
The 22-year-old was leading by three shots after the 12th hole of her final round
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The American fought back, carding a birdie at the last to force a play-off, but she lost to So Yeon Ryu at the first extra hole.
Here’s some of the other times a player has been sanctioned following correspondence from a viewer. - including one of our own!
Woods took an incorrect drop on the 15th hole after finding the water in the second round of the Masters, but despite being reported by a television viewer he initially avoided punishment.
Only when the American referred to dropping the ball two yards further back in a post-round interview did officials review the issue again and hit him with a two-shot penalty.
However, he was not disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard and went on to finish in a tie for fourth.
Harrington was disqualified from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January 2011 when a television viewer raised the issue of his ball moving as he marked it on the seventh green.
The Irishman had already signed his scorecard and because of that, the punishment could not just be a two-stroke penalty.
Three months later, the R&A and the USGA adopted Decision 33-7/4.5, which authorises committees to waive the disqualification penalty for signing for an incorrect score when the player could not reasonably have been aware of a breach of the Rules that was later identified through video evidence.
Another eagle-eyed viewer calling in resulted in the Colombian being disqualified from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
When a chip up the slope to the 15th green rolled back, Villlegas swatted away some loose pieces of grass in front of his divot as the ball was still moving down the slope, breaching a rule which states loose impediments cannot be moved while the ball is in motion.
Villegas had already completed his round so the two-stroke penalty imposed afterwards meant he was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Inkster was disqualified from the LPGA Safeway Classic after using a training aid during a 30-minute wait at the 10th tee.
A television viewer noticed the device - which players are not permitted to use during play - and contacted officials, with Inkster being told of her disqualification after her round.
