SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Mel Reid came into the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA one shot behind her Solheim Cup partner Leona Maguire. The momentum of the week, however, quickly unraveled for the Englishwoman after an unusual mistake.
After a pair of bogeys on the first four holes, Reid had an unfortunate mental error on the par-4 fifth at Baltusrol’s Lower Course. The veteran player marked her ball and picked it up on the fringe of the green, resulting in a one-stroke penalty under Rule 9.4b.
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Rules Committee stated Reid’s ball came to rest 4 inches from the putting surface on the collar. Reid didn’t realize the ball was not on the putting green until after she had marked, lifted, cleaned and replaced her ball. She then called for a rules official to confirm that her ball was not on the green.
KPMG Women’s PGA: Photos
Reid made bogey on the hole and turned in 4 over. Her 4-under 67 on Friday was the best of the day.
Reid, 35, came into the 2023 season off a medical exemption for a sore wrist and a mental fatigue that had her seriously considering quitting the game to pursue a career in media. Time with her mental coach, Duncan McCarthy, however, helped her hit the restart button, and she came into Baltusrol fresh off four straight top-30 finishes.
Reid posted her best finish in a major, a T-3, at the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA at Hazeltine National.