Watch: Bizarre grandstand placement gifts DP World Tour winner lucky break

It is hard to decide where to start with the second shot of Andrea Pavan on the 18th hole in the third round of the Italian Open.

The Italian and home favourite fired his approach over the green but, due to how close two hospitality pavilions were built to the putting surface, his ball landed between them and close to some onlooking fans.

You can watch footage of the shot below. Have you ever seen a spectator building placed so close to the field of play at any golf tournament or indeed any sport?

But what golf fans might find more extraordinary was the result of a rules decision that allowed Pavan to putt his third shot, and putt it into the hole for an unlikely birdie and day three score of 69.

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DP World Tour ruling comes with an extraordinary grandstand placement

The buildings in which his ball landed, as confirmed by a rules official and the television commentary, were classed as temporary immovable obstructions (TIO). Because of the temporary nature of these obstructions, local rules provide relief options that are not allowed from immovable obstructions.

Other examples of TIOs are tents, scoreboards, toilets and television towers. Relief from a TIO is allowed when there is physical interference or line-of-sight interference from the TIO.

Pavan took his club lengths which allowed him to putt his ball from the fringe. The 35-year-old, who has won twice on the DP World Tour, eventually finished in a tie for fifth at Adriatic Golf Club Cervia.

This is not the first time a temporary immovable obstruction ruling has taken centre stage in professional golf this year. Xander Schauffele was the benefactor of a similar situation at the Wells Fargo Championship.

Schauffele’s ball was in a penalty area underneath trees and next to a fence, but a ShotLink tower and its cables were also in front of his ball. This was classed as a TIO, so the PGA champion could take relief as the tower was in his line.

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