Defending champion Lexi Thompson had another brush with the rules while making an impressive 64 and a significant move up the leaderboard in round three of the Indy Women in Tech Championship..
Lexi was penalised at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course for violating a preferred-lies local rule.
Five shots off the lead at day’s start, Thompson birdied six of the first nine holes, making the turn in 30 to move two off the lead, but that’s where she fell foul of local rules.
At the 10th tee, Thompson fanned her tee shot right, into the sixth fairway. With preferred lies in effect, Thompson picked up her ball, cleaned it and replaced it within a club length before preparing to hit her second shot at the par 5.
According to Kay Cockerill, reporting for Golf Channel’s early live streaming coverage, LPGA rules official Marty Robinson saw Thompson pick up her ball and intervened. He informed her she was in violation of the preferred lies rule, that she was allowed to lift, clean and place only when in the fairway of the hole she was currently playing.
Lexi was given a one-shot penalty and returned her ball to its original spot, with Robinson’s help. The local rule was distributed to players earlier in the week.
Cockerill said Thompson handled the penalty well, shaking her head when realizing her mistake, and actually laughing at her mistake. She then proceeded to hit a fairway wood 215 yards onto the green and two-putted from 60-feet for par.
Lexi goes into today's final round five shots back of leader Lizette Salas who is -21 for the tournament. Britain's Bronte Law is a further five shots back at -11.