A player’s tee shot comes to rest in an area containing heavy rough and a large burrowing animal hole.
After a search of five minutes, the players in the group determine that it is neither known nor virtually certain that the ball is in the burrowing animal hole. The player returns to the tee to put another ball into play under Rule 27-1.
As the player is returning to the tee, the ball is found in the burrowing animal hole.
May the player now proceed under Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground condition)?
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No. When five minutes elapsed and it was neither known nor virtually certain that the ball was in the burrowing animal hole, the ball was lost and Rule 27-1 was applicable.
Update: If the ball was found BEFORE the five minutes were up then yes, the player could play the original ball provided he did not hit a second ball. But this rules question asks what happens when the ball is found after the five minutes have expired. Almost a trick question.
27-1(c): Ball Not Found Within Five Minutes
If a ball is lost as a result of not being found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s Side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it, the player must play a ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.
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