Bryson DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty after the second round of The Open on July 16 for trampling knee-high rough behind his ball on the fifth hole, which improved his swing path inadvertently [1, 2, 3, 4]. The R&A, organizers of The Open, said the penalty was a clear-cut decision based on the rules and stressed DeChambeau's actions were accidental [1, 2, 3]. DeChambeau showed frustration during an animated discussion with officials immediately after the penalty but continued to compete in the tournament [2, 3].
DeChambeau did not speak to the media throughout the week and declined to comment after the final round. He finished the tournament six shots behind champion Ryan Fox, with second-round and third-round scores of 72 and 69 respectively, following the penalty [1]. Despite some isolated boos and shouts labeling him a cheat, DeChambeau was warmly received by the crowd during the third round [1].
World number one and 2025 Open champion Scottie Scheffler publicly defended DeChambeau after finishing tied for fourth on July 19, saying, "All I'll say is I've known him for a long time, and he's a lot of things, but he's definitely not a cheater" [1, 2, 3, 4]. Scheffler suggested the camera angles used for video review can make incidents look worse and said, "Maybe he was a touch careless around his ball but I don't think he did anything intentionally" [2, 4]. He called for stricter, but balanced, rule policing in golf [2, 3, 4].
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who has a known rivalry with DeChambeau, disagreed. McIlroy said, "There was no doubt he had improved the line of his backswing and he held the Open to hostage," accusing DeChambeau of deliberate rule-breaking [1]. This dispute highlights differing views on the incident among top players.
DeChambeau’s penalty followed his second-round score of 66 before the two-shot addition. He started the third round three shots behind the leader but was unable to catch up due to the penalty's impact [1, 2, 3]. The R&A and Scheffler maintain the penalty was justified but accidental. McIlroy remains unconvinced.
DeChambeau wrapped up the event six shots off the pace set by Ryan Fox. He has yet to comment publicly on the controversy that has divided opinions among elite golfers.
