Who can replace a marked ball on the green?

[ApexGrind]

Ball marked on green by someone else, can you replace it?

I thought I had this one cold. but maybe not?

I've always been under the impression that a marked ball MUST be replaced by the person who marked it. So you put it on the green out of the bunker and it's in someone else's line so while you're raking someone marks the ball. Often times they toss you your ball expecting you to replace it when it's your turn. I've always thought that was a violation and have the person who marked it replace it. Then I can re-mark it to turn it or whatever. The reaon/intent of the rule being that only the person marking it knows it's original position. Marked in front, back, side, whatever. The point comes up for discussion and the contention is that if you see it marked then you can replace it. I look up the rule in my 3 year old rule book and the wording is ambiguous... grammatically. I'll have to go look in the decisions as I'm sure it's there. Anyone know? The wording of the rule is something to the effect of:

The player, his partner or the person lifting the ball must replace it.

My friend reads that as:

(The player), (his partner) or (the person lifting the ball) must replace it.

I read it as:

(The player, his partner or the person) lifting the ball must replace it
[whoever lifted it must replace it].

[Joe Schmoe]

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/books/index.html

 

20-3 Placing and Replacing

a. By Whom and Where

A ball to be placed under the Rules must be placed by the player or his partner. If a ball is to be replaced, the player, his partner or the person who lifted or moved it must place it on the spot from which it was lifted or moved. In any such case, the player is responsible for any breach of the Rules.

If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of placing or replacing the ball, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of placing or replacing the ball or removing the ball-marker. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a or 20-1.

[ApexGrind]

I look[ed] up the rule in my 3 year old rule book and the wording is ambiguous...

 

See my original post for how that might be interpreted two different ways. Is it any of the three entities mentioned can mark it, lift it, and then any of the three entities can replace it? Not necessarily the one who marked it? Or is it that any of the three can mark it, lift it, and replace it but the one who replaces it must be the one who marked it?

 

The only related decision doesn't clarify this either. I've got an email in to USGA for clarification.