Lucky Cart Bounce Helps Ok Tae-hun Secure Birdie and Victory

Fortune favors the destined. Ok Tae-hun proved this at the KPGA Tour Gyeongbuk Open final round last October at Hanmaek Country Club in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province. He fired an 8-under-par on the final day, defeating runner-up Choi Min-cheol by five strokes to claim his third victory of the season.

Luck was on his side. On the 8th hole (par 5), Ok slammed his club down immediately after his tee shot. The ball flew right, followed by a thud. It had landed in the front seat storage compartment of a broadcast crew cart parked beside the cart path. Television cameras captured the ball resting next to a tissue box.

Ok took relief without penalty under Rule 15.2a (Relief from Movable Obstruction). When a ball comes to rest in or on a movable obstruction anywhere on the course, the player may lift the ball, remove the obstruction, and drop the ball (or place it on the putting green) without penalty.

After taking relief, his stance for the next shot landed on the cart path. Cart paths qualify as abnormal course conditions. Ok received penalty-free relief under Rule 16.1. He laid up safely, then stuck his third shot close to the hole for birdie.

Without that cart, the ball would have disappeared into dense woods. Facing a likely lost ball or an impossible lie, Ok instead made birdie—a truly lucky cart.