Moment a clueless golf ‘fan’ picks up a ball and walks off with it during a tournament – before being read the riot act by angry officials
- American golfer Nelly Korda was having a rough day at the Evian Championship
- She mis-hit a drive with the ball spearing off the fairway and into the trees
- Her day got worse when a woman picked up the ball and started walking away
- A marshal demanded she return the ball, but Korda still hit a double bogey
A spectator at the Amundi Evian Championship LPGA event in France has committed one of the cardinal sins of golf by picking up a player’s ball and moving it in scenes sure to give diehard fans nightmares.
Tokyo Olympics gold medal winner Nelly Korda shanked a ball into the trees during the final round of the event, which was trouble enough for the American.
But what happened next was truly shocking.
A clueless woman wearing a large floppy hat and even bigger sunglasses walked straight up to the ball and scooped it up like it was some kind of trophy.
A marshal then marched up to her and furiously directed her to return it to the place she found it.
‘Oh it’s not a souvenir, it’s not a souvenir. She’s in big trouble now,’ commentator Grant Boone said.

The woman picks up the ball and is quickly instructed to return it by a tournament official
Many golf fans were quick to call her actions out as ‘stupid’ and label her an ‘idiot’.
‘When the announcers say they are knowledgeable fans at Evian I think I’m going to have to question that. Think you’d see someone who wasn’t a child do that at the Open Championship?’ tweeted one golf fan.
‘If you think it’s instinct to pick up any ball in any sport please just stay home,’ posted another.
However, many other fans could see the funny side of her actions.
‘The word ‘fan’ probably does not apply. Maybe novice or naïve on the rules of the game?’ wrote one fan.
‘The fan was being a such good sport though. Probably thought like in tennis matches you give the ball back to ball persons,’ posted another.
There were also suggestions that the woman involved was not there to watch the golf at all.
‘I read that the course borders a popular walking area. She probably knows nothing about the game. Funny but not a super big deal,’ a fan suggested on Twitter.
There was plenty of abuse hurled the lady’s way as well, but also fans calling them out and telling them to calm down.
‘No need to get hostile as no harm done. Educate her. Not even as bad as experienced fans who can’t keep quiet or baseball fans interfering with balls in play,’ tweeted one fan.

Korda plays her tee shot on the thirteenth hole during day four of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club
Fortunately for Korda, she did not receive a penalty for the incident but still finished the hole with a double bogey.
She had finished the previous day at the top of the leader board but the double bogey brought her back to the pack.
She eventually turned in a two-under 69 card in the final round for an overall result of -13, four behind the pace of eventual winner Brooke Henderson.
The best of the Aussies was Stephanie Kyriacou, who finished on a tie for 31st at seven-under.
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