NORTH PLAINS, Ore. – Less than a week after a rules violation cost Dustin Johnson his shot at the PGA Championship, Juli Inkster was disqualified from the LPGA Tour’s Safeway Classic when a television viewer spotted her breaking a rule.

The 50-year-old Hall of Famer was making the turn on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge, but the No. 10 hole was backed up. During the 30-minute wait, she affixed a “doughnut” weight to her 9-iron and took some practice swings to stay loose.

Turns out that’s not allowed under rule 14-3.

The alert viewer informed tournament officials by e-mail, but Inkster was already on the 17th hole. She finished her round to the applause of the crowd on the rural course about 20 minutes west of Portland.

A fan yelled “Go Juli!” and she smiled. Inkster was at 8 under heading into Sunday’s final round, in a trio three strokes back of leader Ai Miyazato

LPGA Director of Tournament Competitions Sue Witters met Inkster in a tunnel under the stands leading from the green to the scorer’s tent. Inkster, Witters said, was understandably surprised that she had been disqualified.

“Totally surprised,” Witters said. “I mean, there was no malice there. Her sole reason for doing it was because she had been waiting 30 minutes and had to warm up.”

The turn of events marred the second round of the Safeway Classic, in its second year at Pumpkin Ridge after 19 at Columbia Edgewater near Portland International Airport.

Miyazato, who is from Japan, shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead at 11-under into Sunday’s final round. Inkster was tied for second at 8 under with Song-Hee Kim (64) and Na Yeon Choi (67) after an apparent 67.