In a match play event.
Player A hits his ball into the woods. It is red staked.
He looks briefly for it but can't find it. So he drops a ball and is about to play.
Then he realizes his tee shot had kicked out onto the fairway!
He has not hit the dropped ball.
He asks if he can hit his original ball.
All the other competitors agree he gets to use his original ball, with no penalty.
Was this the right call?