Two proper drops can lead to placement
Rule 14 requires another proper drop if the ball finishes outside the relief area. If that second proper drop also finishes outside, the next step is placement on the spot where the second drop first touched the ground. A wrongly performed drop does not count towards those two.
Suppose the first drop lands inside the relief area but rolls downhill outside it. The second does the same. The player then places the ball near the second landing point rather than making repeated attempts until gravity produces a favourable result.
Keep landing and resting points separate
The spot first struck on the second drop may be higher on the slope than either final resting place. A viewer following only the rolling ball can therefore miss why the player returns uphill. Placement is tied to that second initial contact, not simply the nicest nearby patch.
A useful replay records four points: first landing and rest, second landing and rest. The two landing points and two resting points serve different purposes. If the placed ball will not remain on the required spot, further placement provisions apply. The core explanation is that the procedure changes after two qualifying drops; the player is not free to choose placement merely because the first roll was inconvenient.
Questions answered
Does one proper drop rolling out automatically allow placement?
No; a second proper drop is normally required.
Does a faulty release count as one of the two?
No. It must be corrected by dropping properly.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.