Adam Scott is still kicking himself over a costly mistake that derailed what could have been a standout performance at the Cadillac Championship. The Australian star incurred a two-shot penalty after realizing he had hit the wrong ball during Thursday's opening round—an error he calls "such a silly thing to do."

The trouble unfolded on Doral's 582-yard, par-5 8th hole. From the left rough, Scott struck his second shot, only to discover he had played the wrong ball. Under Rule 6.3c of the Rules of Golf, this is a serious infraction: in stroke play, the player must correct the mistake by playing the original ball or taking relief, while the stroke with the wrong ball and any subsequent strokes before correction do not count. Failure to correct before the next hole or returning the scorecard leads to disqualification. Scott took the two-stroke penalty, played his original ball, and walked away with a double-bogey seven.

"I think it's the first time I've ever done it in my career," Scott admitted after Saturday's round. "That's probably one of those things everyone ends up doing once. But an odd set of circumstances led to me not checking it, which I think I've done thousands of times."

Despite the early stumble, Scott showed resilience. He shot a four-over 76 on Thursday, followed by a 71 on Friday, and then delivered a bogey-free 66 on Saturday. Still, the missed opportunity stung. "To take two lumps there was tough, especially as you sit here now in the weekend and thinking if you're two better you would be doing so well in the tournament," he reflected.

For any golfer, a wrong-ball penalty is a harsh lesson in focus and routine—a reminder that even the pros can slip. Scott's ability to bounce back, however, is a testament to his mental toughness. As he put it, "Golf can be cruel at times, and I've experienced plenty of other tough things on the course, and you just have to get on with it and do the best you can."