By: Max Bechtoldt
One of the highest ranked players in the field, Nasa Hataoka, was disqualified from the ShopRite LPGA Classic Saturday, after shooting -6.
The issue for Hataoka came into play on her final hole in Friday’s first round, where she hit her second shot just right of the green into thick fescue.
After a lengthy search, Hataoka’s ball was found and she played it from that spot. This is where the issue came into play. The shot was played more than three minutes after the search for her ball began, which is against the rules. Because of this, Hataoka played the ball from the wrong place under USGA rule 14.7.
A lot of questions have arose from this issue about how the broadcast and rules officials didn’t catch this mistake before she hit her next shot. Just to be clear, it is not the broadcast’s obligation or responsibility to notify the player if she is violating a rule, it would be an advantage to the players in the featured groups. In reality, it is the player and caddie’s responsibility to catch it, not anyone else’s. Regardless, this could be a mistake with lasting impact.
Hataoka is currently ranked No. 19 in the world rankings and sits No. 2 in the Japanese Olympic standings. Ayaka Furue sits just three spots behind her, ranked No. 22 in the world rankings. Currently, Furue has completed her second round inside the top 10. Hataoka’s disqualification could have a major ripple on the Olympic standings.
