Surprising rules gaffe leads to disqualification at Women’s British Open
A surprising rules infringement at the Women’s British Open led to the disqualification of South Korean player Hye-Jin Choi. Choi, who was tied for the lead after the first round, was penalized two strokes for playing the wrong ball on the 17th hole. The error occurred when Choi’s ball came to rest near a water hazard and she incorrectly played a provisional ball. When her original ball was found, she picked it up and played it, unaware that she had picked up the wrong ball. The penalty strokes proved costly, as Choi missed the cut by one stroke. The incident highlights the importance of players being aware of the rules and the consequences of violating them.