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Golf's governing bodies met during the Masters at Augusta
National a few weeks ago and discussed the controversial
four-stroke penalty that cost Thompson the title during the
first LPGA Tour major of the season.
R&A officials refused to comment on the pending announcement on
Monday at a media day for the Open Championship at Royal
Birkdale, where the third major of the PGA Tour season will be
played in July.
However, sources told Golfweek that the decision on a new rule
that will take effect immediately will come on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Thompson incorrectly replaced her ball after
marking it on the 17th green during the third round, missing her
spot marginally, which could only be seen clearly with a zoom
lens with the tape running in slow motion.
The next day, a television viewer contacted LPGA Tour officials
and told them of the infraction in an e-mail.
After viewing the tape, officials hit Thompson a two-stroke
penalty for incorrectly replacing her ball and another
two-stroke penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard at the end
of the third round.
Thompson, who was notified of the penalties while walking off
the 12th green in the final round, later finished in a tie for
first with So Yeon Ryu and lost to the South Korean on the first
hole of a playoff.
The incident sparked a huge debate on social media, with such
notables as Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson and
Johnny Miller slamming the decision.
The Rules of Golf are undergoing updating that is expected to
take effect in 2019, but reportedly the Lexi Rule will be
enforced immediately.
There was no indication as to exactly what the new rule will
say, but speculation is that officials might be prevented in the
future from acting on infractions sent in by TV viewers.
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