Lottie Woad received a two-stroke penalty during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open after an incident in a bunker at Riviera Country Club. The penalty changed her score on the ninth hole from a five to a seven.
The sequence unfolded on the greenside bunker at the ninth hole. Woad’s ball had plugged on a steep upslope about a yard from the lip. She struggled to find stable footing and at one point slid down the sand. Her caddie, David Taylor, placed a foot behind hers to help. An official was summoned for a seven-minute discussion about possible relief due to a visible bunker liner, but none was granted. Woad then hit her shot, which moved forward only an inch before rolling back. She played the hole to two feet and one-putted, initially recording a bogey five. A later review determined she had improved her stance under Rule 8.1a of the Rules of Golf, resulting in the two-stroke penalty. The decision came after broadcast analysts raised concerns about her actions and those of her caddie. Woad played the remainder of her round at one under par and finished with a three-over 74.
