Lexi Thompson handed four-stroke penalty mid-round at ANA Inspiration

Lexi Thompson’s ANA Inspiration title challenge took a dramatic turn during her round when she was controversially handed a four-shot penalty for a rule break from the previous day’s play.

Thompson took a two-shot lead in to the final round in California and moved three clear until a bogey at the 12th, before she was told by tournament officials she was being punished for incorrectly replacing a marked ball on the 17th green during the third round.

The incident only came to light when a television viewer spotted the offence and informed LPGA officials, who assessed the footage and decided to penalise the 2014 champion.

Thompson appeared to to put the marker at the side of her ball, which was then replaced a few millimetres in front of the marker.

The American was visibly moved to tears as she was told the news, asking the official: "Is this a joke?" She then added: "This is ridiculous."

LPGA Tour Golf

The penalty saw her drop to two shots off new leader Suzann Pettersen, but she responded in style by draining a long-range birdie at the next.

Tiger Woods immediately came to Thompson's defence on social media and tweeted: "Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes. Let's go @Lexi, win this thing anyway."

Click on the video above to view Lexi Thompson's mid-round penalty!