Eddie Pepperell exited the Turkish Airlines Open in the third round in bizarre fashion as he ran out of balls on Saturday.

The Englishman failed to complete the fourth hole and was disqualified but did not stick around to offer an explanation.

It was left to playing partner Martin Kaymer to divulge what had happened, with Pepperell losing "four or five" balls into the water next to the green at the par-five fourth.

Tiger Woods infamously won the 2000 U.S. Open after getting down to his last ball earlier in the tournament, but Kaymer had never previously seen a fellow professional run out entirely.

"Eddie hit his shots to the green, then came over to tell us he had run out of balls," two-time major winner Kaymer said. "Then he walked off.

"I thought he lost four or five. We are about 80 per cent sure it was five, 20 per cent four. He was quick, so it was hard to keep track.

"He did not ask if he could borrow one from me or George [Coetzee, fellow partner]. It did not look like he wanted to play.

"He did not putt with his putter on the third hole; he putted with a wedge. So there was a lot happening.

"I have never seen anything like that before. I only watched it on television, in [the film] Tin Cup. This is the first time I have seen it live."

Pepperell was two over for the day and par for the week before his round completely fell apart.