Wrong Balls

[BC MIST]

Mutt and Jeff both hit their drives over the hill of #12 at Mississippi GC, a blind par 4 hole. As they walk up, they see two balls close together and Mutt then hits his approach shot to the green. As Jeff is about to play the other ball, he sees that it is Mutt’s original ball. Mutt plays his ball.

Assuming that Mutt has hit his ball, Jeff goes back to where Mutt played his first approach shot, drops and hits another ball to the green. While walking forward, Jeff finds a ball and identifies it as his original. He decides to abandon the ball previously played and then plays his original to the green.

What is the ruling in stroke play?

[Kiwi battler]

I dont believe that there was enough evidence to say mutt had hit jeffs ball ....jeff had to go forward and identify the ball mutt hit as his own.........
This wasnt done , so the dropped ball becomes the ball in play ...being incorrectly substituted

When he played this ball he incurred 2 penalty shots ....

Now finding his original , and playing it , he has played a wrong ball ....... 2 more penalty shots

Lifting his substitute ball "ball in play" he incurs another penalty

If he doesnt return and play out the hole with the substitute ball , he is DQ'ed

Thats my stab at it

[BC MIST]

I dont believe that there was enough evidence to say mutt had hit jeffs ball ....jeff had to go forward and identify the ball mutt hit as his own.........This wasnt done , so the dropped ball becomes the ball in play ...being incorrectly substituted When he played this ball he incurred 2 penalty shots ....
Now finding his original , and playing it , he has played a wrong ball ....... 2 more penalty shots Lifting his substitute ball "ball in play" he incurs another penalty
If he doesnt return and play out the hole with the substitute ball , he is DQ'ed

Top marks - almost.

Yes, there was no proof that Mutt hit Jeff's ball, so Mutt's ball was lost and he was required to go back to the tee (Rule 27) The ball he dropped WAS being played as a lost ball (1 stroke), but was dropped and played from a wrong place (2 strokes) and correction was required because of the serious breach. He then played a wrong ball (2 strokes). Total - 5 penalty strokes and with no correction, DQ as you have said.