A bizarre rules mishap cost Lee Westwood dearly at LIV Golf Riyadh, turning what should’ve been a routine water hazard recovery into a head-scratching double bogey.
The 51-year-old veteran was just four shots off the lead when things went sideways at the par-4 16th hole. His tee shot found the creek, but that was just the beginning of his troubles.
When Westwood’s caddie, Mick Doran, fished a ball out of the water, they thought they’d caught a break. Westwood played a solid recovery shot, landing 35 feet from the pin.
That’s when things got weird.
As Westwood went to mark his ball on the green, he realized something wasn’t right – he’d just played someone else’s ball. It wasn’t even the same brand as his.
The mistake triggered an automatic penalty under the tournament’s one-ball rule, which requires players to use the same make and model of ball throughout their round.
“It’s one of those rules that can really sneak up on you,” said a tournament official. “Players can switch balls when taking relief, but only if it’s the exact same type they started with.”
The extra penalty shot turned what could’ve been a bogey into a double, dropping Westwood six shots behind leader Adrian Meronk.
But the bad luck wasn’t done with him yet. Westwood went on to bogey the par-3 17th, finishing with a 71 for the day.
He’ll start the final round eight shots back of Meronk, sitting at eight-under par – a tough hill to climb in Sunday’s finale under the lights in Riyadh.
The whole episode serves as a reminder that even after decades on tour, golf’s rules can still find ways to surprise even the most experienced pros.
