Why Bryson DeChambeau was given a two-stroke penalty at the British Open
Bryson DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty at the British Open. Here’s what happened and why the verdict was handed down.
The Open
Bryson DeChambeau’s meteoric rise up the 2026 British Open Championship leaderboard came to an abrupt halt when tournament officials handed him a two-stroke penalty for a rules violation during the second round, R&A officials confirmed on Friday, July 17.
DeChambeau, playing alongside Scottie Scheffler at Royal Birkdale, had just completed what appeared to be his second straight comeback round and had moved into second place behind leader Lucas Herbert when the post-round drama began to unfold. Cameras showed DeChambeau emerging from the scoring tent and having a lively discussion with the rules official. According to a report from USA Sports Broadcasting, the cause was a disagreement over how DeChambeau should approach his second shot on the fifth hole.
“The rules guy said they improved my lie,” DeChambeau reportedly told a colleague as he left the scoring tent.
There was speculation that DeChambeau, who fell to three strokes behind the leader, would withdraw, but while disappointed with the ruling, DeChambeau suggested on social media that this was not the case.
“This gets me motivated. For the weekend. Let’s give it a try,” he posted.
DeChambeau’s wayward drive on the fifth hole landed on a long fescue grass, and replays showed him walking and stepping on the long grass, potentially improving his backswing situation. R&A rules officer Charlie Mullan said DeChambeau and the rules officer eventually returned to the scene of the No. 5 shot in a golf cart to “discuss his actions.”
“It just came to me as the day unfolded,” Malan explained on the British Open Championship broadcast.
A visibly shaken DeChambeau then appeared to plead an appeal from Fescue, which caused his only bogey of the round. DeChambeau’s manager, Brett Falkoff, told Golfweek that DeChambeau was not informed of the possible rule violation until after the round had ended and DeChambeau requested to return to the fifth hole.
“They feel he’s not paying enough attention around sensitive areas and not improving his swing path,” Falkoff said.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Falkoff said when asked if DeChambeau would play in Saturday’s third round at the British Open following Friday’s controversial result.
However, DeChambeau indicated on social media that he intends to play.
“Obviously disappointed in the verdict,” he posted. “I don’t agree with it, but it’s the reality. Hearing this gets me motivated. For the weekend. Let’s do it.”
DeChambeau recorded a triple-bogey 7 on No. 5 on the scorecard and was 5 under, three strokes behind the leader, making him 5 under for the tournament.
R&A umpire Grant Moir said DeChambeau received the two-stroke penalty even though he had no intention of improving his lie or backswing, and explained the rule violation in a statement to reporters following the controversial ruling.
Moir said the rule in question “restricts what a player can do to improve the protected conditions that affect the stroke, including the area of the player’s intended swing. … I want to emphasize that this applies even when the action is accidental, as in Bryson’s case.”
Moir said DeChambeau’s prohibition in this case pertains to the part of the rule that says “no natural object growing or attached may be moved, bent or broken.” “A player is permitted to take a stance fairly by taking reasonable steps to reach the ball, and in some circumstances may take a stance if the condition affecting the stroke is improved. However, in doing so, the player must take the most innocuous course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing. This rule applies even when there is no intention to improve that area, as in Bryson’s case.”
