The CME Group Tour Championship is set-up for an enthralling weekend, with Angel Yin leading the likes of World No.1 Nelly Korda, as well as Jeeno Thitikul, Ruoning Yin and Ayaka Furue.
With two rounds remaining, it was the Friday when the conditions were testing the world’s best, as the wind got up and caused havoc, so much so that there were two rules incidents occurring just a few hours apart.
Nancy Lopez, Ko and Annika Sorenstam during the 2024 LPGA Rolex Players Awards
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The first involved recent LPGA Tour Hall of Fame inductee, Lydia Ko, who on the ninth fairway saw her golf bag blown over by the wind and on to her golf ball!
Naturally, being a rare incident, the Olympic gold medalist checked with a rules official on the ruling and, following a discussion, Ko wasn’t assessed a penalty due to her ball being moved by an outside influence. Following the moment, the 27-year-old replaced her ball and made par.
For those wondering, the rule that covers the golf ball being moved by an outside influence is ‘Rule 9.6 – Ball Lifted or Moved by Outside Influence’: “If it’s known or likely that an outside influence moved your ball, there’s no penalty. You must replace the ball in its original spot, or estimate where it was if you don’t know.”
Yin during round two of the CME Group Tour Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Along with Ko, round two leader Angel Yin was also involved in a rules incident, this time coming at the par 4 fourth, where her second shot found the water for a second day running.
Following her three-under-par round, which leaves her at 10-under and two ahead, Yin was pulled aside by a rules official to go over the drop at the fourth.
“They wanted to ask me about the process of the drop and if I used all my resources to be able to come to a determination of where I crossed and how I took my drop,” explained Yin on Friday.
“Then we talked it through. We even brought Narin and Justin in, everybody from the group. I think there was some misunderstanding — oh, actually it wasn’t a misunderstanding because it was just footage and someone had interpretations of it.
“We had to clarify it because everybody is trying to do their best and I don’t really think it’s anything with anyone. I think everybody is trying to hold up integrity and…
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