Penalty kerfuffle pushes Bryson to the brink
DeChambeau weighing whether to continue after 2 strokes assessed for improving stance
Bryson DeChambeau and his caddie Gregory Bodine (Stuart Kerr/R&A via Getty Images)
SOUTHPORT, England — An impressive round of golf by Bryson DeChambeau ended up clouded in controversy on Friday night as the two-time major champion was assessed a two-stroke penalty that he vehemently argued against, threatening not to play Saturday’s third round of the Open Championship.
DeChambeau, who shot a 66 in the second round at Royal Birkdale to seemingly climb to 7-under par and within a shot of leader Lucas Herbert, dropped to three strokes behind after the penalty strokes were added to his score for a violation of Rule 8.1.
On the fifth hole, where DeChambeau made his only bogey of the day, he was deemed to have improved the area of his intended swing. This possible violation was brewing behind the scenes for the majority of his round as video made the rounds of DeChambeau in a heavily-grass area addressing his ball.
DeChambeau went to the scene of the infraction with R&A rules officials and could be seen demonstrably arguing his case.
After another 25 minutes in scoring, DeChambeau’s score was officially changed to a triple on the fifth hole and a 68, leaving him 5-under par and tied for fifth.
It appeared on the broadcast that DeChambeau threatened not to play during Saturday’s third round. He walked past a group of reporters later and would only say, “Guys, I’m gonna practice.” It was 9:40 p.m. local time.
DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff, told reporters that DeChambeau was not a lock to play on Saturday and that he would make a decision in the morning about whether or not to continue.
“He’s a lot of things,” Falkoff said. “He’s not a cheater.”
The R&A governs rules outside of the United States and Mexico and runs the Open Championship. Its executive director, governance, David Moir said that actions were “prohibited” but “accidental.”
R&A’s Grant moir said DeChambeau “accidentally” violated Rule 8.1 (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“Ruling 1 restricts what a player may do to improve any of the protected conditions affecting the stroke, and this includes the area of the player’s intended swing,” Moir stated to reporters. “So an improvement means to alter one or more of the conditions affecting the stroke so that the player gains a potential advantage for the stroke.
“Now, I’ll stress that this applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson’s case.
“The area of intended swing includes the entire area that might reasonably affect any part of the backswing, the downswing or the complaining of the swing for the intended stroke, and importantly, what the prohibited action here is that the player mustn’t move, bend or break any growing or attached natural object.
“A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance, if in some situations that improves the condition affecting the stroke, but when doing so, the player must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.
“I would reiterate this rule applies even when there’s no intention to improve the area, as was the case with Bryson.”
Moir did not take questions and R&A officials would not say if DeChambeau threatened to not play on Saturday.
DeChambeau began the round two strokes behind first-round leader Jackson Suber but was five back of Herbert when he teed off. Herbert shot a major-championship-record-tying 62 to get to 8-under par.
After a birdie at the fourth hole, DeChambeau ran into trouble at the par-4 fifth, where a wayward drive came to rest in thick, tall rough. After surveying his lie, DeChambeau apparently stepped down on an area of tall grass that would be in the line of his backswing.
He played the ball out from there and went on to make a bogey.
There was no mention of a possible violation on the broadcast but video of the incident surfaced and thus began the process of speculation as to whether or not a penalty was committed.
DeChambeau birdied the ninth, 11th, 17th and 18th holes to get within a stroke of Herbert’s lead before the penalty was assessed.
Coming into the event, DeChambeau had missed the cut in the previous three majors in 2026 but has two victories this year on LIV Golf.
The GC crew were unanimous in their agreement on the 2 strokes.
Very dubious penalty. There has to be clear and convincing evidence to make that call under the circumstances. There wasn’t. It was a vague judgement call.