DeChambeau penalty ‘clear cut’ says R&A chief, no sympathy from McIlroy
Golf – The 154th Open Championship – Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, Britain – July 17, 2026 Bryson DeChambeau of the U.S. looks at a phone on the practice range and being docked two shots in the second round REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
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SOUTHPORT, England, July 18 : Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty imposed after his second round at the British Open on Friday was a “clear-cut decision”, according to R&A chief Mark Darbon, while world number two Rory McIlroy had no sympathy for the American.
DeChambeau had put together a stunning round of 66 and was alone in second place on the leaderboard, one shot off the lead, until R&A officials deemed he had inadvertently broken the rules after finding rough on the fifth hole.
Footage showed the big-hitting DeChambeau stamping down on long grass near where his tee shot had landed.
After his round he was driven back to the spot in a buggy alongside an official and was seen in animated discussion.
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Later he emerged from the recorder’s hut after being told he was being punished because he had ‘inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing’.
“It was an unfortunate decision but really clear-cut from a rules perspective,” Darbon told BBC Radio 5 Live on Saturday.
McIlroy, whose Open hopes were hanging by a thread on Saturday after a third-round 69, said he had seen the incident live on TV and immediately thought something was wrong.
“Then when I heard that he was called in by the rules officials, it was pretty obvious for why,” McIlroy said.
“I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing. Again, it’s like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters.”
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy also accused DeChambeau of holding the tournament hostage with his reaction to the penalty late on Friday, with suggestions that the American might withdraw.
“I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson,” he said. “I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.
“To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look.”
Darbon insisted there had been no contact from U.S. President Donald Trump over a penalty for a golfer he has close contact with.
“No. I have not received a call from President Trump and we will see what happens from here,” he said in response to a light-hearted question in a BBC interview.
Despite suggestions that DeChambeau might quit the tournament, he posted on X late on Friday that it had “fired him up” for an assault on the Open over the weekend.
He started his third round three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert and struggled to make inroads on Saturday.
There was some sympathy for DeChambeau from fellow American Russell Henley, who suggested on Saturday that other players with a lesser profile might not have even been called out.
“If I played that hole yesterday and I did the same thing, maybe they don’t penalise me because maybe they don’t see me do it,” he said after carding a third-round 68. “That’s the tough part; he’s on TV every single shot.”
Source: Reuters
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