Watch Ernie Els 1-putt for triple-bogey on hazardous 6th hole at Bay Hill

Ernie Els played himself out of contention in Saturday’s third round at Bay Hill with a triple-bogey eight on the sixth hole that involved questionable decisions to hit twice from bad lies in the same hazard, a drop and a penalty shot, a potential grounding violation and a long one-putt for a dreaded snowman.

And, considering his choice to play from above the rocks and below the hazard line, things could have been even worse for the four-time major champion had his 41-foot putt not dribbled into the cup.

No doubt, calls and texts poured into PGA Tour HQ after Els, playing in his first tour event after four straight missed cuts, appeared to ground his club in the hazard -- a two-shot penalty if assessed. Officials queried and absolved him of any wrongdoing after the actions in question led to his second shot out of jail caroming off a rock and backward into the water.

That lost ball forced Els to drop from 260 yards out. His sixth shot landed in a tricky green-side bunker from which he was able to get up and down and walk away with a snowman on the card that included seven birdies and four bogeys.

What a game.

Els escaped further damage when rules official Steve Rintoul said that video of the shot under review showed no definitive evidence of grounding and Els told head rules official Mark Russell the sole of his club did not touch the ground.

“The tape didn’t show that the club was grounded, even though the club head was in the grass,” Rintoul told Reuters.

After an even-par 72, Els heads into Sunday’s finale of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at 6-under and in a tie for 29th — 10 strokes back of 54-hole leader Henrik Stenson.