Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau was handed a two-stroke penalty during the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after officials ruled he improved his swing path by flattening grass. Following the decision, reports emerged that DeChambeau threatened to contact U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene, though no such call was confirmed.
Penalty Ruling at Royal Birkdale
The controversy unfolded on the par-4 fifth hole during the second round of the 154th Open Championship on July 17, 2026. Television footage captured the 32-year-old DeChambeau repeatedly stepping on grass and shuffling his feet in the thick rough behind his ball. According to tournament officials, these actions unintentionally improved the conditions affecting the stroke
by creating a clearer swing path. The violation resulted in a two-stroke penalty, effectively turning a potential bogey 5 into a triple-bogey 7. The penalty changed his second-round score from 66 to 68, dropping him from one shot off the lead to three shots back.
The ruling sparked a tense, extended confrontation. DeChambeau protested the decision furiously, insisting on returning to the specific location of the incident alongside the R&A’s head of governance and a senior referee to argue his case. Upon arrival back at the tournament scoring area, the R&A remained unmoved. After Saturday’s round, DeChambeau headed immediately for the office of the R&A’s chief executive, Mark Darbon, to ask for his round two scorecard, a request that was politely turned down. DeChambeau ultimately finished the tournament in a tie for 14th place, his best finish in a major tournament in 2026.
Allegations of Political Intervention
As the dispute continued in the tournament scoring area, Mark Darbon joined the discussion. It is understood that during this exchange, DeChambeau said he would phone Donald Trump if the matter was not resolved in his favour. While DeChambeau and the president share a friendship—having enjoyed a warm exchange at last year’s Ryder Cup—there is no evidence that such a call actually took place, and tournament officials said they never heard from the president. The incident comes after Trump successfully lobbied FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the suspension of American player Folarin Balogun.
The incident drew sharp criticism from peers, including Rory McIlroy, who supported the R&A’s decision. Yeah, look, I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I'm not particularly fond of him,
McIlroy said on Friday. I think a lot of it's performative. I think a lot of it's for attention. To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn't feel like it was a great look.
Scottie Scheffler’s Perspective on the Ruling
Scottie Scheffler, who played alongside DeChambeau during the second round, offered a nuanced defense of his competitor’s integrity while acknowledging the validity of the rules. Scheffler was asked about the ruling the following day, initially stating, I don't really have a ton to say on it,
before adding, Actually, I do have a ton to say. I haven't decided exactly what I want to say publicly yet.
All I'll say is Bryson – I've known him for a long time, and he's a lot of things, but he's definitely not a cheater. I've never seen him cheat once, whether we were having a putting contest on the putting green or chipping contest, or anytime we played amateur golf, I never saw anything suspicious. Following
However, Scheffler admitted that DeChambeau may have been a touch careless with his positioning. 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,
Scheffler explained. He noted that because DeChambeau is constantly followed by television cameras, his actions are subject to a level of scrutiny that other players might not face. Scheffler suggested that the sport needs to strike a better balance in how it enforces rules, noting that while he believes the penalty was not based on intentional cheating, the rules need to be more strictly enforced.
Tournament Impact and Media Relations
The incident caused significant delays during the tournament. After it became clear the penalty would not be overturned, DeChambeau left players and media waiting for two hours before announcing he would continue to play. This procrastination delayed the release of third-round tee times until nearly 11 p.m., and he did not announce he would keep playing until almost midnight. DeChambeau skipped mainstream media duties throughout the Open. He has since remained in the UK to play in LIV Golf’s stop at the JCB Golf and Country Club starting Thursday.
Sources: Theguardian, Forbes.
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