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Another course, another rough Lie. Losing your ball in the bushes is apparently the latest trend on the DP World Tour this week. First, it was Rory McIlroy at the Australian Open. And now Kristoffer Reitan has experienced the same at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City.

The Norwegian golfer was on the 18th hole on Par 4, standing at 460 meters, when things took an unexpected turn. His shot went way off course and sent the ball deep into the thick bushes. What followed was captured on camera: a frantic search that left everyone wondering if he would even find it, let alone continue playing from that spot. The commentary captured the chaos perfectly.

“So to recap, Provisional’s done and dusted. Trying to work out whether he can play this ball and if he can, in which direction. I think he’s headed back, is he? He’s back to the down in the rough, the other side of the pond.”

The visuals appeared comical, though it was costly for his scorecard, as it led to a double bogey, bringing him down to -17 overall. However, he has a strong grip on the situation, with a five-shot lead going into the last day. Speaking afterwards, Reitan was candid about the experience.

“Very disappointed with the finish on 18, but I guess a good double in the end,” he admitted. “It’s just clear evidence that if you don’t hit it in the right spots, then you can get severely punished. But overall, good today. I think I got out of some tricky situations and did well. But I think longevity-wise, hitting it just that little bit better would be good. But overall, with the score today, I’m happy.”

This week on the DP World Tour has been full of interesting things. There was also the now-famous banana peel incident that everyone talked about, in addition to Reitan’s bush experience. And of course, McIlroy’s own trip into the Australian wilderness to find his lost ball created its own drama.

McIlroy’s tee shot on the 14th hole, a par-5 on Friday, landed deep in thick rough under a tea tree. He tried to punch the ball out but got his club stuck in some branches. In an unusual moment for a player of his skill, he completely missed the ball. And that moment quickly went viral on social media. After the round, even McIlroy talked about the incident honestly.

“Not one of my finer moments on 14. I can’t remember the last time I had a fresh air swing.” He added, “I was trying to get in really low like Seve and flick it back into play. Yeah, I caught a branch on the way down and completely missed the ball.”

Kristoffer Reitan and McIlroy aren’t the only ones facing troubles on the course lately.

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How the DP World Tour keeps surprising the pros

In the past few months, the DP World Tour has seen some unusual events. One standout incident happened at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September with Matt Fitzpatrick. He hit a poor drive into the trees on the 18th hole and played a provisional ball just before a storm stopped play for 90 minutes.

While waiting, Fitzpatrick’s caddie, Dan Parratt, worried that someone might find his original ball in the bushes and take it. They called over a rules official to explain the situation. People nearby reported seeing two young boys dive into the bushes and come out smiling with a golf ball. Considering the circumstances, the officials believed the ball was likely Fitzpatrick’s and allowed him to take a drop when play resumed.

Fitzpatrick got a bogey on the hole, but he subsequently said that it could have been worse if he had to play his provisional ball. “Those two little thieves who made off with my ball probably saved me a shot,” Fitzpatrick stated after his round. The incident didn’t stop him from winning the tournament; he started with a strong six-under 66.

The DP World Tour has kept spectators delighted with surprising narratives that go far beyond the usual birdies and bogeys. For example, Fitzpatrick’s stolen ball in September, McIlroy’s Australian Open wilderness trip, and now Reitan’s bush quest at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.