- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,212,438
- Reaction score
- 59
Bryson DeChambeau's surge up the 2026 Open Championship leaderboard came to an abrupt halt when tournament officials assessed him a two-stroke penalty for a rules violation during Round 2, an R&A official confirmed on Friday, July 17.
DeChambeau had just finished what appeared to be a second-straight resurgent round playing alongside Scottie Scheffler at Royal Birkdale, vaulting into second place behind leader Lucas Herbert when the post-round drama began to unfold. Cameras showed DeChambeau emerging from the scoring tent at Royal Birkdale in an animated discussion with a rules official. A report from the USA Sports broadcast indicated it stemmed from a disagreement related to how DeChambeau approached his second shot on the fifth hole.
"The rules official said I improved my lie," DeChambeau said to his associates as he left the scoring tent, according to the report.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Jon Rahm throws club during Round 2, but avoids penalty
DeChambeau's wayward drive at the fifth hole landed in long fescue grass and replays showed DeChambeau walking over and stepping on long grass in a manner that could have potentially improved circumstances for his backswing. DeChambeau and the rules official eventually took a golf cart back to the scene of the shot at No. 5 to "discuss his actions," according to R&A rules official Charlie Maran.
A visibly agitated DeChambeau then appeared to plead his case from the fescue that had caused his only bogey of the round.
"It's something that came up as the day has unfolded," Maran explained on the Open Championship broadcast when asked why DeChambeau wasn't notified of a potential rules infraction until he arrived at the scoring tent.
The two-stroke penalty occurred after rules officials determined DeChambeau improved his lie and backswing while preparing to address the ball. Maran said the R&A would be releasing a statement related to the ruling.
DeChambeau declined to comment on the situation when approached by a USA Sports reporter after leaving the scoring tent a second time. He officially signed for a triple bogey 7 on No. 5 on his scorecard and sits at 5-under for the tournament, three strokes back of the lead.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bryson DeChambeau handed penalty for Open Championship rules violation
Continue reading...
DeChambeau had just finished what appeared to be a second-straight resurgent round playing alongside Scottie Scheffler at Royal Birkdale, vaulting into second place behind leader Lucas Herbert when the post-round drama began to unfold. Cameras showed DeChambeau emerging from the scoring tent at Royal Birkdale in an animated discussion with a rules official. A report from the USA Sports broadcast indicated it stemmed from a disagreement related to how DeChambeau approached his second shot on the fifth hole.
"The rules official said I improved my lie," DeChambeau said to his associates as he left the scoring tent, according to the report.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Jon Rahm throws club during Round 2, but avoids penalty
DeChambeau's wayward drive at the fifth hole landed in long fescue grass and replays showed DeChambeau walking over and stepping on long grass in a manner that could have potentially improved circumstances for his backswing. DeChambeau and the rules official eventually took a golf cart back to the scene of the shot at No. 5 to "discuss his actions," according to R&A rules official Charlie Maran.
A visibly agitated DeChambeau then appeared to plead his case from the fescue that had caused his only bogey of the round.
"It's something that came up as the day has unfolded," Maran explained on the Open Championship broadcast when asked why DeChambeau wasn't notified of a potential rules infraction until he arrived at the scoring tent.
The two-stroke penalty occurred after rules officials determined DeChambeau improved his lie and backswing while preparing to address the ball. Maran said the R&A would be releasing a statement related to the ruling.
DeChambeau declined to comment on the situation when approached by a USA Sports reporter after leaving the scoring tent a second time. He officially signed for a triple bogey 7 on No. 5 on his scorecard and sits at 5-under for the tournament, three strokes back of the lead.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bryson DeChambeau handed penalty for Open Championship rules violation
Continue reading...
