Bryson DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty on Friday at The Open Championship, nearly two hours after he completed his second round. The penalty, assessed for inadvertently improving his lie on the fifth hole, dropped him from solo second place to a three-way tie for fifth.
DeChambeau had initially finished his round at 7 under par, but the ruling changed his score to 5 under. This adjustment placed him three shots behind the leader, Lucas Herbert, who tied a major championship record with a 62.
Penalty on the fifth hole
The incident occurred on the fifth hole, a short par 4, where DeChambeau drove his ball into a native area. While assessing his shot, it appeared he may have trampled the long grass behind his ball. Although he managed to chip out and two-putt for a bogey, his movements around the ball prompted an investigation by the R&A rules officials.
DeChambeau spent a significant amount of time after his round discussing the situation with officials. According to reports, he argued that while the grass was pushed down, its direction did not affect his intended shot. However, Grant Moir, the R&A executive director of governance, stated that DeChambeau was penalized for “inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing.” Moir clarified that an improvement, even if accidental, provides a potential advantage for the stroke.
The rule applies even without intent to improve the area, as was the case with DeChambeau. His agent, Brett Falkoff, indicated that the R&A believed DeChambeau was not careful enough with his foot placement, which improved his swing path.
Reaction and what’s next
The penalty means DeChambeau will not be in the final group for Saturday’s play. Instead, he is scheduled to be paired with Sam Burns in the third-to-last group. Burns also tied the major championship record with a 62 on Friday, finishing with three consecutive birdies, including a bunker shot on the 18th hole.
DeChambeau expressed his disappointment with the ruling on social media, posting just after midnight local time. He wrote, “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.” This post suggests he intends to play on Saturday, despite earlier uncertainty regarding his participation.
Falkoff had previously stated that whether DeChambeau would play on Saturday was a decision his client would make independently, noting that DeChambeau felt he was unfairly penalized. DeChambeau remained on the course hitting balls until approximately 10:30 p.m. local time.
Meanwhile, Lucas Herbert holds the 36-hole lead, his first in a major, after a strong performance. Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, is four shots behind after a 68. Other players in contention include Jackson Suber, Ryan Gerard, and Cameron Young, who are tied for second, and Jon Rahm, who is also four shots back.
The cut for the tournament was at 1-over 141, with notable players like Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose missing it. Herbert, who has won on five tours globally, made the cut for the tenth time in eighteen majors.
The second round also saw Jon Rahm receive an official conduct warning for throwing his club after a tee shot. The drama unfolded in the twilight hours at Royal Birkdale.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
