At the 2010 Safeway Classic at Pumpkin Ridge, Hall of Famer Juli Inkster was chasing history. At 50 years old, she was just three shots off the lead and in position to become the oldest champion in LPGA history.

While waiting on the 10th tee, Inkster slipped a weighted doughnut onto her nine iron and made a few swings to stay loose. It was the most ordinary thing in the world — something golfers do every day on practice ranges.

But under Rule 14-3, players are prohibited from using any artificial device or unusual equipment that might assist them during a round. A television viewer spotted the doughnut, emailed the LPGA, and officials had no choice but to disqualify her.

Inkster had just shot a 67, and the ruling ended her tournament. A win would have been historic, but instead the incident became one of golf’s most famous examples of viewer call-ins changing the outcome of a professional event.

This case highlighted golf’s unique culture of integrity and self-policing. Unlike other sports, fans at home once had the power to act as officials. The controversy sparked debate across the golfing world and eventually led to a 2017 rule change banning outside reports from influencing penalties.

It remains a striking reminder that in golf, even the smallest detail — and sometimes a stranger’s email — can change history.