Bryson DeChambeau’s strong showing at the British Open hit a major snag Friday when rules officials handed him a two-stroke penalty for unintentionally improving his lie on the fifth hole during the second round at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.
The penalty knocked DeChambeau out of sole second place and into a tie for fifth, leaving him three strokes behind the halfway leader. In the wake of the ruling, DeChambeau’s agent told Golf Channel that the golfer may choose to withdraw and not return for Saturday’s third round.
DeChambeau had wrapped up his second round on a high note, closing with back-to-back birdies for a four-under-par 66. That brought his tournament total to seven under par — just one shot behind halfway leader and fellow LIV golfer Lucas Herbert. DeChambeau had missed the cut at each of the year’s first three major championships.
The trouble began earlier in the round when DeChambeau’s tee shot on the par-four fifth strayed into heavy rough. Video showed him taking practice swings and pacing around near his ball before playing his second shot. After he completed his round, a rules official approached him and asked that they return to the fifth hole to review the situation.
DeChambeau, a fan favorite known for his powerful hitting, engaged in a heated exchange with the official as he argued his case. He appeared visibly frustrated as he eventually rode back to the scoring area in a golf cart.
More than an hour after finishing his round, the two-time major champion was officially penalized under Rule 8.1 of the rules of golf. His score on the fifth hole was changed from a bogey to a triple bogey.
R&A rules official Grant Moir explained the decision, saying: “Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of intended backswing on fifth hole.”
Golf Channel later reported that DeChambeau’s agent and caddie pushed back on the ruling, arguing that while DeChambeau may have accidentally stepped on some tall grass near his ball, it was not along the path of his swing and therefore did not improve his lie.
DeChambeau was later spotted on the driving range at Royal Birkdale. His agent confirmed that a final decision on whether he will compete in Saturday’s third round will be made that day.
