Bryson DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty during Friday’s second round at The Open after officials determined he had inadvertently improved his swing path on the fifth hole. The R&A, which organizes the tournament, ruled that DeChambeau had trampled down knee-high rough behind his ball in violation of tournament rules. While the governing body acknowledged that DeChambeau’s actions were accidental, they emphasized that the penalty still applied under the established regulations.
DeChambeau initially believed his round of 66 had positioned him one shot off the lead at the halfway stage before the penalty was assessed. The incident significantly impacted his tournament performance, and he completed his weekend rounds with scores of 69 and 72, finishing six shots behind winner Ryan Fox. DeChambeau declined to speak with media throughout the week following the ruling and did not comment after the final round.
Scheffler, who was playing alongside DeChambeau when the incident occurred, came to his fellow American’s defense after completing his own final round. Scheffler stated he had never witnessed DeChambeau cheat during their years of amateur and professional competition together. While acknowledging that DeChambeau may have been somewhat careless around his ball based on camera angles, Scheffler rejected suggestions that the action was intentional.
R&A chief executive Mark Darbon characterized the penalty as a “clear-cut decision from a rules perspective.” The incident drew various reactions from other players on the tour. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who stated he is “not fond of” DeChambeau, said there was “no doubt” DeChambeau had improved his backswing line and accused him of holding the Open to “hostage.” DeChambeau received a mixed reception from the gallery when he returned for the third round, with some spectators directing derogatory remarks toward him.