Full Breakdown
Bryson DeChambeau’s Open Penalty and the Unanswered Call for Donald Trump
7/26/2026, 11:27:09 AM
The Penalty and the Plea
During the second round of The Open at Royal Birkdale, Bryson DeChambeau was assessed a two-stroke penalty for “inadvertently improving his lie” on the fifth hole. After the round, DeChambeau approached officials and, according to a Substack report, demanded that President Donald Trump be brought into the discussion to fight his case. Officials rejected the request, imposed the penalty, and allowed DeChambeau to return to the scene of the lie for further clarification. The penalty reduced his score from 66 to 68, and he later triple-bogeyed the 11th hole in the final round, dropping out of contention and finishing 4-under, tied for 14th.
Background: DeChambeau, Trump, and Past Interventions
DeChambeau’s friendship with Trump is well-documented; he has previously represented Trump Golf and celebrated a 2024 Open win with the former president’s family. The episode echoed a recent World Cup incident in which Trump reportedly asked FIFA to review a red-card suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. That request was granted, and the suspension was lifted, a move that drew criticism from the soccer community.
Official Statements
President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, described the penalty decision as “a tough call.” When asked whether he would act as a “fixer,” he replied, “Well, it’s not a fixer. You mean being a judge.” Royal and Ancient chief executive Mark Darbon later told BBC 5 Live that he had not received any call from Trump regarding the incident.
Data & Statistics
- Penalty: two strokes for alleged lie improvement.
- Final round: triple-bogey on the 11th hole eliminated DeChambeau from the lead.
- Tournament finish: 4-under par, tied for 14th; the only major where he made the cut this season.
- Parallel soccer outcome: U.S. men’s national team lost 4-1 to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I thought the Bryson call was a tough call,” — Donald Trump, president
- “Well, it's not a fixer. You mean being a judge,” — Donald Trump, president
- “No. I have not received a call from President Trump, and we’ll see what happens from here.” — Donald Trump, president
