Bryson DeChambeau walked off the 18th green at Royal Birkdale, fist-pumping and waving to the crowd after a birdie finish put him at 7 under, just one shot back of the lead in solo 2nd at The Open Championship. He thought he had a golden spot heading into the weekend, but that feeling evaporated fast when R&A officials intercepted him before he even reached the scoring area. They had questions about his play on the 5th hole, and it all boiled down to stomping grass.
The “Wild Gestures” And An Unswayed Official Ruling
Video evidence showed DeChambeau stepping on the tall grass behind his ball numerous times on the 5th, appearing to purposefully stomp it down to clear his swing path. This wasn’t a minor slip-up, it was a blatant rule violation in the eyes of the R&A. Officials called him back out to the site of the potential infraction, and what followed was an absolute scene. DeChambeau, clearly increasingly frustrated, pleaded his case with his caddie by his side. Reports noted “incredible scenes,” where even without audio, you knew exactly what was going down. His wild gestures and impassioned arguments were on full display, but the R&A simply wasn’t buying it.
A Triple Bogey Blow That Changed Everything
The ultimate decision dropped like a hammer: a two-stroke penalty. That bogey DeChambeau carded on the 5th hole suddenly turned into a triple bogey. His second round score of 66 instantly became a 68. This wasn’t just a couple of strokes, this fundamentally reshaped his entire tournament standing. He plummeted from solo 2nd at 7 under all the way down to 5 under, now T5 alongside Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim. Leader Lucas Herbert now sat three shots clear of DeChambeau, a huge cushion in a major.
This penalty decision instantly became one of the biggest storylines of the weekend. It’s a significant difference halfway through the championship, and everyone will be watching how DeChambeau responds. Will he overcome what he believes to be a harsh and unfair ruling? If he falls off the pace, you know everyone will speculate that this penalty completely shook his focus. Get ready for Saturday and Sunday, because this is far from over!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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