Lottie Woad struggled to get a stance.
Then, after a two-stroke penalty, she was knocked out during Saturday’s third round Women’s US Open.
The sequence came from the green bunker Riviera Country Club’s The 9th hole, where of Woad the second shot was lodged on the steep slope and about a yard from the rim. She was stuck. The main issue was her leg.
Standing normally, Woad would slip and she struggled to find stability. Peacock Network cameras showed her trying to push into the sand with her back foot (right) and at one point her caddy, David Taylor, placed his left foot behind her right foot. Woad kept pushing. At one point, she slid down the bunker. An official was called. Woad and Taylor said they saw a line of bunkers and wondered if that might lead to relief, but, after a seven-minute conference, they were denied.
As she tried to reposition her right leg, Woad struck. Her ball came off the plug – but it bounced forward only about an inch before sliding back into the bunker. From there, she hit her second shot to 2 feet, and she one-putted for what she believed to be a bogey five.
It was more. There was a review and shortly after, Woad’s score became seven. At issue was Woad’s attitude. At 12:20 p.m. LA time, reporters were told that Woad had been assessed a two-stroke penalty under Rule 8.1a of the Rules of Golf, “for improving her position in the bunker”.
Peacock network microphones caught the official speaking to Woad telling her to “be careful about building an attitude”, but no penalty was called. When contacted by GOLF.com, a USGA spokesperson said an official monitors all broadcast sources and “as this situation was broadcast, before the umpire came to assist, we began actively looking into it.”
Three times on the Peacock broadcast, an analyst was concerned about Woad’s actions.
“So (the official) just mentioned that I was a little concerned that it looked like she was building a stance,” the analyst said. “You saw her get her foot in the sand and try to make extra sand so she could stand on it. You’re not allowed to do that.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” the analyst said. “The caddie came and helped too. Digging in the footing and really moving the sand around.”
“She has to be very careful not to create some kind of attitude,” the analyst said. “Just looking at the ball, she was blowing up the sand. The caddy, David Taylor, came in and was doing the same thing.”
From there, Woad played one-under golf, and she finished with a three-over 74.
“>
