Lost ball from Tee

Question
My drive goes into rough from Tee. I play a provisional ball into the fairway. I then cannot find my first ball but it is not deemed as lost at this stage. So to save a little time I play my provisional ball. I then continue to look for my first ball and find it. I then play this ball as my second stroke.
Am I allowed to do this or do I have to play my provisional ball and continue with my fourth stroke ?

Kind regards,...Jim

Answer
Hi James,

As soon as you deem your original ball lost, it is lost. If you had not deemed it lost, and you had not hit your provisional from a point closer to the hole than your original ball, you could have played the original.

With what you had done, you would have lost the hole in Match Play and been disqualified in Stroke Play.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Ken Tannar
www.probablegolfinstruction.com