Thompson wound up losing after the eagle-eyed viewer sent an email reporting a violation officials missed.
Golfer Lexi Thompson ended up losing a tournament after a TV viewer reported a violation of the rules, which officials apparently missed.
An eagle-eyed viewer reported in an email that the 22-year-old golfer was in violation of the rules after discovering the placement of the ball was wrong.
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The viewer saw Thompson marking the position of the ball then picking it up. Video shows that when she puts it back, it's an inch closer to the hole.
The official, Sue Witters, approached the golfer the next day at Rancho Mirage, Calif. As she explained the mistake was going to cost her four strokes, Thompson replied, "Is this a joke?"
She ended up losing the tournament, which left her in tears and a state of shock.
“It's unfortunate what happened," she said following this loss. "I did not mean that at all. I didn't realize I did that."
But how she handled the placement controversy, fighting to get back on top until the 18th hole, is winning her a ton of new fans, and causing many to speak out.
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Golf legend Tiger Woods expressed his support saying, "Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes.”
Singer Justin Timberlake, an avid golfer, also chimed in, tweeted: “@lexi is so classy. Handled that with grace and fight” on Twitter.
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