The PGA Tour has cleared Wyndham Clark of any wrongdoing after the former US Open champion’s free drop during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Social media lit up on Friday after Clark took free relief following his tee shot on the 3rd hole. Tournament officials were comfortable Clark’s ball landed back in its own pitch mark, which allows a free drop. Had the ball instead rolled into another divot, Clark could only have taken a drop under penalty. The 31-year-old, who was leading the tournament at the time, went on to make a par.

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In a statement, the PGA Tour’s rules committee said: “After reviewing ShotLink video of Wyndham Clark’s tee shot on the 3rd hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA tour rules committee determined that the ball returned to its own pitch mark, which entitled Clark to free relief.”

Clark himself shrugged off the incident. “I didn’t know there was any confusion, obviously when I’m playing,” he said. “We never saw it bounce. Then we get up there and it’s in a plugged lie. My ball was covered with mud. So we took relief and didn’t think anything of it.”

By close of play, Clark sat two adrift of Shane Lowry’s 36-hole total. Clark double bogeyed the 15th and dropped another shot at the 17th while en route to a 71. Lowry’s 67 included an excellent birdie at the treacherous 18th. Lowry’s eight under par heads the pack.

Given the attributes required to succeed at Bay Hill, Lowry’s prominence should come as no surprise. The 2019 Open champion admitted he had extra motivation to secure a late tee time in round three. Lowry’s Saturday start means he will have scope to watch Ireland take on France in the Six Nations. “It was either a late tee time or no tee time,” Lowry said.

“My iron play is good and conservative when it needs to be. I think you need that around places like this. I just like the grind of ‘pars are good’. There’s a lot of weeks out here where you get where you shoot level par for nine holes and you feel like you’re beating your head against the wall.

“Whereas, weeks like this, level par after nine you’re actually doing OK, you’re a little run away from having a lovely day. I like the type of golf where any time you break 70 you feel like you’ve had a good day.”

Lowry’s playing partner Rory McIlroy signed for a 70 to sit four from the lead.