One bunker, two wrong balls
On 30 October 2026, during the second round of the VidantaWorld Mexico Open at Vidanta Vallarta in Mexico, Tom Kim and Brian Campbell mistakenly played each other's golf balls. It happened on the par-4 ninth hole, which was their final hole of the round because both had started on the back nine.
According to Golf Channel's account, both approach shots finished in the same front greenside bunker. Each player then struck the other's ball. The mistake was identified and each received a two-stroke penalty, as the broadcaster reported.
What Rule 6.3c actually says
Under the current Rules of Golf, Rule 6.3c(1), playing a wrong ball in stroke play incurs the general penalty: two penalty strokes. Importantly, the stroke made at the wrong ball, and any further strokes with that ball before the mistake is corrected, do not count towards the hole score.
The player must correct the error and resume play under the relevant procedure. Rule 6.3c(2) also deals with a player's original ball having been played by someone else as a wrong ball: that ball, or another ball if necessary, must be replaced on its original spot (estimated if unknown). Players cannot simply carry on from where the wrong ball finishes.
The scoring consequence
Both players corrected the mistake before returning their scorecards, replayed their bunker shots and finished the hole with double bogeys: six strokes on the par-4. Both recorded 68 (−3) in round two, leaving each at 135 (−7) after 36 holes. Those totals are reflected on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard. Both survived the cut, which fell at −4.
The timing of the correction mattered. As this was their last hole of the round, failing to correct the wrong-ball error before returning the scorecard would have resulted in disqualification under Rule 6.3c(1). They corrected it in time, so neither was disqualified.
The takeaway for golfers
When two balls lie close together in a bunker, identify your own ball before playing. A personal identification mark is useful. If you are unsure which ball belongs to you, do not guess: follow the Rules' identification procedure and consult an official or the Committee when needed.
This is a real-world example of an existing Rule, not a newly introduced rule or clarification.
