Lee Westwood Involved In Bizarre Rules Incident At LIV Golf Riyadh

Lee Westwood strikes an iron shot and watches its flight.

Golf has the capability of throwing up some bizarre moments and, at LIV Golf Riyadh, that's exactly what happened to the experienced Lee Westwood.

Sitting four shots off the lead, the Englishman came to the par 4 16th needing a steady finish to remain in contention but, after finding the water from his tee shot, what followed can only be described as confusing.

Westwood dropped into a share off 11th after rounds of 65 and 71 in Saudi Arabia (Image credit: Getty Images)

Pulling his tee shot into the creek, Westwood and his caddie Mick Doran found a golf ball sat in the water and, after Doran fished it out, Westwood played his third shot on to the green.

Finding the putting surface, albeit 35-feet away, the 51-year-old went to mark his golf ball but, continuing the drama, Westwood realised it was a completely different make and model and, consequently, he had violated the Model Local Rule in place for the event.

The result was another penalty shot added to his score and, after missing his bogey putt from 35-feet, Westwood tapped-in for what was eventually a double bogey, dropping him back to nine-under and six back of the leader Adrian Meronk.

LIV Golf Riyadh is taking place under the lights (Image credit: Getty Images)

Following on from the bizarre moment, Westwood then bogeyed the par 3 17th and, eventually, signed for a one-under-par 71 to sit at eight-under, eight shots back of Meronk going into the final day in Riyadh.

Regarding the rule, players are allowed to change their golf ball whenever taking relief or after finding a hazard. What's more, if Westwood's caddie had found the same model and brand in the water and Westwood had played it, it wouldn't be a violation. However, because the Englishman played a different golf ball, it meant he broke the one-ball rule.