Standing no more than 30 feet away, NBC on-course commentator Mark Rolfing reported on the drama unfolding with Michelle Wie at the seventh hole in Saturday's third round of the Samsung World Championship.

The 16-year-old from Honolulu had just hit her 5-wood into a Gold Lantana bush, forcing her to take an unplayable lie. She took two drops away from the desert plant, then chipped to 15 feet and made the critical par.

Yesterday, a surprised Rolfing, who is a Hawai'i resident, reacted to what tour officials determined was a rule violation that led to Wie's disqualification in her professional debut.

"If I had thought there was any situation that was questionable, I would have said it on air," said Rolfing, a veteran television golf analyst and The Golf Channel contributor, who described the scene for a nationwide audience Saturday. "I watched the whole thing, and it looked fine to me. In my 19 years, I've never seen anything like this happen — not a drop from an unplayable lie."

The delayed disqualification, sparked by an inquiry by a Sports Illustrated reporter, and announced after yesterday's final round cost Wie her fourth-place winnings of $53,126. It also shocked Rolfing — a family friend of the Wies — who called the outcome "a travesty" and added, "I really don't think this is the way the rules of golf ought to be policed."

If not for the disqualification, Wie would have finished the four-day tournament in Palm Desert, Calif., at 8-under 280. It would have been her fifth top-5 finish this year in eight LPGA tournaments. Annika Sorenstam won the Samsung by eight strokes, shooting an 18-under 270.

"I just think this is way worse than losing $50,000," Rolfing said of Wie losing her winnings. "It's going to cast a shadow on her first professional tournament that she committed a rules violation."

Wie conducted two drops on the seventh hole Saturday, and both times the ball rolled closer to the hole, Rolfing said. After the second drop, Wie's caddy, Greg Johnston, pointed to the place where the ball had struck the ground and Wie placed it there and hit it, Rolfing said.

However, tour officials ruled yesterday that the placement of Wie's ball was closer to the hole, which is an infraction. Following a post-tournament meeting, officials said Wie should have added two strokes to her third-round 71 and disqualified her for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Rolfing said Wie gained "no advantage" by the placement of the ball, and that Wie was not trying to bend the rules.

"This is a game of integrity, a game of honesty, and I firmly believe Michelle felt like she had done the correct thing at No. 7," Rolfing said. "She gained no advantage. If you look at the tape, where she dropped it, she still had the tree in play. The tree was still a problem for her. It affected her backswing."

Wie said she agreed with the decision yesterday.

"I respect the rules," Wie was quoted on LPGA.com. "I was three inches ahead. I mean it looked fine to me. You know, I learned a great lesson today. You know from now on, I'm going to call a rules official no matter what it is. And, you know, I'm really sad that this happened but you know, the rules are rules. Three inches or 100 yards, is the same thing. I respect that."

The rules violation was brought to light by Sports Illustrated reporter Michael Bamberger, according to The Associated Press. The AP reported that Bamberger told tour officials yesterday afternoon he was concerned about Wie's drop Saturday. Rules officials Jim Haley and Robert O. Smith reviewed tape from NBC Sports before taking Wie and caddie Johnston to the seventh green after the tournament yesterday, AP reported.

After a measurement was conducted, it was determined that the placement of the ball was closer to the hole by "12 to 15 inches," Smith told AP.

Rolfing said he had "no problem" with the tour officials at the tournament. Tour officials were involved in another highly publicized Wie ruling in Friday's second round on the 14th hole. The ruling allowed Wie to avoid a penalty stroke and gave her a free drop after her tee shot veered into a Gold Lantana bush surrounded by bees.

"My impression was Michelle had a number of rulings that had some gray areas," Rolfing said.

Word of Wie's disqualification had reached some golf fans by early evening yesterday.

At the Ala Wai Golf Course, fans expressed surprise and disappointment at the young golfer's mishap but were willing to let her have a mulligan, considering it was her first time out as a pro.

"That's one of the learning experiences you know," said Ernest Okazaki, a retired Hawai'i Kai resident who was sipping drinks in the clubhouse after playing a round. "She's got a game, poise, she's well spoken, and she's a marketable item."

Okazaki's wife, Annabelle, said the couple had been hoping Wie would do well.

"We're Wie fans. I wanted her to do very well," Annabelle Okazaki said. "She had so many naysayers that seemed like they didn't want her to do well."

Mona Kim, who owns Mona's Golf Shop on King Street, said she didn't watch Wie's final round but learned of her fate after finishing a round of golf with friends.

"Boy, I cannot believe. I just cannot believe how she did," she said. "It's really bad, sad. First tournament for her and she DQ'd (disqualified). That's sad."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.