Bryson DeChambeau Hit With Two-Shot Penalty at The Open
Bryson DeChambeau was assessed a two-shot penalty following his second round at The Open at Royal Birkdale, a decision he has publicly disagreed with. The penalty, issued for an alleged rules infringement on the fifth hole, altered his standing in the tournament.
Initially, DeChambeau appeared to be one shot off the lead after carding a four-under 66. However, officials intervened after his round to discuss an incident where he was accused of trampling on long grass near his ball. Following a discussion with Open officials, it was confirmed that he received a two-shot penalty for “inadvertently improving his lie.” This pushed him back to five under par, placing him three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.
DeChambeau expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, “Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it.” Earlier, he had declined to answer questions from the media after emerging from the recorders’ office, where he spent over 20 minutes with officials, including R&A chief executive Mark Darbon.
Incident at the Fifth Hole
The incident occurred on the fifth hole during DeChambeau’s second round. His drive landed in deep rough, and videos reportedly showed the American seemingly trampling down knee-high rough behind his ball. The R&A determined that DeChambeau had not “played the course as it is found,” violating Rule 8.1, which pertains to actions that “improve conditions affecting the stroke.” This rule includes the area of a player’s intended swing, which DeChambeau was found to have interfered with.
Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance, clarified that the penalty was applied because DeChambeau inadvertently improved the area of his intended backswing on the fifth hole. Moir emphasised that this rule applies even if the action is accidental. DP World Tour rules official Graeme Storm, working as a summariser, explained that improving the line of play for the club constitutes improving the lie, regardless of intent, leading to a general penalty of two shots.
The penalty changed DeChambeau’s score on the par-4 fifth hole from a bogey to a triple bogey, altering his round from a 4-under 66 to a 68. This adjustment significantly impacted the tournament’s dynamics, as he was originally set to play alongside Lucas Herbert in Saturday’s final pairing. After the penalty, he was tied with Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim.
Post-Round Drama and Reaction
The evening unfolded with considerable drama. After DeChambeau birdied the 18th hole, moving to seven under, he was quickly taken by rules officials to the fifth hole to review the alleged infringement. An animated discussion ensued, with DeChambeau visibly frustrated. He later returned to the media centre area, where he did not confirm whether he would play in round three on Saturday, only offering a smile.
After emerging from the cabin, the two-shot penalty was confirmed. He then proceeded to the driving range, where he continued to hit balls until almost 22:30 BST, engaging with fans and his team. His agent, Brett Falkoff, indicated that DeChambeau would “see how he feels” on Saturday before deciding whether to play.
DeChambeau’s approach to golf is often described as unconventional, from his use of single-length clubs to his physical conditioning. He had previously faced criticism, with three-time Open champion Nick Faldo suggesting he lacked strategic understanding. DeChambeau had missed cuts at the US PGA Championship and US Open earlier in the year. Despite this, his performance on Friday, before the penalty, was noted for his patience and sensible approach, particularly his short game, which impressed former European Tour winner Andrew Murray.
Read Also
Source: bbc.co.uk