Danny Lee penalized for lift, clean, place John Deere Classic mistake
PGA Tour

Danny Lee penalized for lift, clean, place John Deere Classic mistake

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Danny Lee made a mistake on Sunday that may have cost him back-to-back PGA Tour wins.

On the fourth hole at TPC Deere Run in the final round of the John Deere Classic, Lee picked up his ball in the middle of the fourth fairway. He mistakenly thought for a moment that the field was playing lift, clean and place -- also known as preferred lies -- rules just like had been done for Saturday's rain-delayed third round. He was wrong. They were playing the ball down. Lee had to replace his ball where it had been and take a one-stroke penalty.

"I was doing lift, clean and place the whole day yesterday, and without just thinking, I put the tee behind me ball and picked it up, and my caddie is going it's not lift, clean and play today," Lee said afterward. "I'm like, oh, wow. So a one-stroke penalty."

Thanks to a bogey at the par-4 18th, Lee missed out on the playoff with Tom Gillis and eventual winner Jordan Spieth by a shot.

Lee, who picked up his first PGA Tour win last weekend at The Greenbrier Classic, was looking for a second win in his 28th start of the season.

"Well, what can I do? I made a mistake, and I got over it and tried to hit my best shot, which I did," Lee said, "but if I made a couple more putts on the front nine, I would be out there and might be in a playoff."

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