Full Breakdown
Bryson DeChambeau’s Two-Shot Penalty at the 2026 Open: Rules, Reactions, and Fallout
7/20/2026, 8:01:25 PM
The Penalty and Its Immediate Impact
During round 2 of the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale (Southport, England) on Friday 17 July, Bryson DeChambeau was assessed a two-stroke penalty for improving the line of his swing by standing on long grass behind his ball on the fifth hole. The R&A ruled that his actions breached Rule 8.1, which applies even when the breach is accidental. The penalty changed DeChambeau’s score from a 66 to a 68, dropping him from second place to a tie for fifth and ultimately leaving him tied 14th at 4-under after rounds of 69 and 72.
Rules Context and R&A Decision
Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance, issued a statement confirming that the rule “applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson’s case.” R&A chief executive Mark Darbon later told the BBC that he had not received any call from President Donald Trump regarding the incident. The R&A’s decision was described by officials as “clear-cut” despite DeChambeau’s request to revisit the scene and to obtain his round-two scorecard, which was denied.
Player Reactions
Official Statements & Responses
- “I have not received a call from President Trump.” — Mark Darbon, R&A chief executive
- “When you’re watching him there from that camera angle, maybe he was a touch careless around his ball, but I don’t think he did anything intentionally.” — Scottie Scheffler, world No. 1
Criticism & Opposition
- “I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative.” — Rory McIlroy, former Open champion
- “I felt like maybe there wasn’t enough evidence for him to deserve a penalty.” — Sam Burns, Open leader after round 3
Supportive Views
- “All I’ll say is Bryson — I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s definitely not a cheater.” — Scottie Scheffler
- “I think we need to get back to the traditions of the game, and maybe we do need to police things a little bit more stricter in the game.” — Scottie Scheffler
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Multiple outlets reported that DeChambeau threatened to involve President Donald Trump during a 30-minute post-round discussion with R&A officials. The claim originates from journalist Geoff Shackelford’s newsletter and is echoed in several media summaries, but no evidence of an actual call or of Trump’s participation has been presented. Mark Darbon’s denial and the absence of any documented communication leave the alleged Trump involvement unverified. Additionally, while the R&A emphasized the accidental nature of the breach, some players questioned whether the penalty should have been applied after the round had concluded, highlighting a procedural ambiguity.
What’s Next
DeChambeau remains in the United Kingdom to compete in the LIV Golf stop at JCB Golf and Country Club, scheduled to begin on Thursday 23 July. He has not given post-round interviews during the Open and continues to address the episode primarily through social-media posts.
Verbatim Quotes
- “All I’ll say is Bryson — I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s definitely not a cheater.” — Scottie Scheffler
- “When you’re watching him there from that camera angle, maybe he was a touch careless around his ball, but I don’t think he did anything intentionally.” — Scottie Scheffler
- “I have not received a call from President Trump.” — Mark Darbon
- “I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative.” — Rory McIlroy
- “I felt like maybe there wasn’t enough evidence for him to deserve a penalty.” — Sam Burns
- “I think we need to get back to the traditions of the game, and maybe we do need to police things a little bit more stricter in the game.” — Scottie Scheffler
