Provisional Ball

[Flaxton]

Hello
A player hit a tee shot into the edge of some woodland so chose to play a provisional ball. This appeared to go in the same area but probably further into the trees. On reaching the area both balls were visible. The shorter of the two was played as the original ball but when he moved forward he realized that the ball played had been the provisional. He then discarded the provisional and continued with the original ball. Does the fact that when he played (what turned out to be) the provisional ball he though was the original ball make any difference?
Thanks

 

[drdel]

The ball he hit becomes the ball in play.

 

[duncan mackie]

See interpretation 18 3 (c) 2/1

As written in the original post I cannot see how the ball played can be considered to be nearer the hole than the original ball (basically it was considered to be the original ball!) so if the original ball was subsequently identified within the time period it remains the ball in play and the provisional should be abandoned (Basically what happened should have happened).

 

[Flaxton]

Thanks Duncan that is what I had decided but wanted a expert opinion.
Mal