3 players disqualified for breaching lift rules

GOLD COAST, Australia — Three players were disqualified from the Australian Ladies Masters on Friday for unknowingly breaching rules on preferred lies.

A rules official from the co-sanctioning Ladies European Tour said Australians Corie Hou and Inhong Lim and Australian-based South Korean amateur Annie Choi were disqualified after playing one hole of their second round.

The players, who were in the same group, said they had misinterpreted a local ruling during their first round which allowed preferred lies on fairways but not in the rough.

Choi had an opening-round 2-under 70, five strokes behind first-round leader Lee Bo-mee. Lim shot 80 and Hou 81.