Lexi Thompson received a one-stroke penalty for a rules violation at the LPGA’s Indy Championship on Saturday in her first event back after taking a short break from the tour.
Thompson made headlines for another rules violation at last year’s ANA Inspiration where she received a penalty for replacing her ball in the wrong spot to lose the major tournament in a playoff.
On Saturday, the American fell foul of a preferred lies local rule in Indiana.
The LPGA Tour is allowing preferred lies due to the wet nature of the Brickyard Crossing course but players are only allowed to do so when their ball is in the fairway of the hole they are playing.
“During the play of hole 10, Thompson’s tee shot came to rest in the fairway of hole six.
“As Thompson’s ball lay on the fairway of hole six, she was not entitled to prefer her lie.
“She preferred her lie in breach of the local Rule but prior to playing her stroke from a wrong place (Rule 20-7) she was questioned by a rules official regarding her actions.
“As she had not played her stroke from the preferred spot, she did not receive the general penalty of two strokes under the local rule,” the LPGA said in a statement.
Thompson put the penalty behind her to shoot 64 and end the third round in fourth place, five strokes behind leader Lizette Salas. (Reuters/NAN)