Bryson DeChambeau vaulted into second place at The Open on Friday with a scorching 66 at Royal Birkdale, looking like a lock for a huge weekend. But that sweet -7 score got absolutely torpedoed by the R&A, who hit him with a two-stroke penalty that dropped him straight out of contention for the lead. Talk about a gut punch right after an incredible round!
The Call and the Chaos
The penalty came down hard after DeChambeau’s second shot on the Par-4 fifth hole. Apparently, he inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing while in the tall fescue rough. The R&A rules officials informed him of the decision once he was in the scoring tent, and that’s when the real drama kicked off. His 66, which had him sitting pretty at -7, suddenly became a 68, dropping him to -5 and tying him for fifth place with Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim. You think he was happy about that? Nope! DeChambeau pleaded his case with the officials for almost an hour after the round. Can you imagine the frustration of fighting for your score for that long?
Media Frenzy and a Possible Walkout
That hour-long dispute wasn’t just a backroom argument, it blew up the end of USA Network’s coverage! Their second-round broadcast was supposed to wrap up at 3:30 p.m. ET, but they stayed on the air until about 4:40 p.m. ET, ditching a re-run of Law & Order just to cover the DeChambeau situation. Golf Channel’s post-round show, *Live From The Open Championship*, was delayed too, skipping its usual highlights and going straight into analyzing the incident. Both networks are owned by Versant and share talent, so they were all in on the drama.
But the biggest bombshell? As of Friday evening in England, DeChambeau’s agent was telling reporters the golfer was undecided whether he would even play in the third round on Saturday because he just did not agree with the ruling. Seriously, a walkout threat at a major? Before the penalty, he was slated to play in the final group of the third round alongside fellow LIV Golf member Lucas Herbert. R&A rules chief Grant Moir, their executive director of governance, even had to explain the ruling, saying Ruling 1 restricts improving conditions affecting the stroke, even if it is accidental.
So, what’s next for Saturday’s third round? Bryson’s agent is telling reporters the golfer is undecided about playing, straight up saying he does not agree with the ruling. The Open needs its stars, especially with NBC’s coverage ready to roll. Will he be there to play alongside Lucas Herbert, or will this drama escalate into a full-blown walkout? Either way, all eyes are on Royal Birkdale for the biggest major of the men’s golf season. You know we will be watching every single shot, if he plays!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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