DeChambeau penalised at The Open as leadership battle shifts
The American golfer drops to tied fifth, three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert, after spending over 20 minutes in discussion with tournament officials at Royal Birkdale.
Bryson DeChambeau’s challenge at The Open 2026 was significantly derailed on Saturday evening when he was issued a two-shot penalty during the second round at Royal Birkdale. The ruling, confirmed by the R&A, saw the American golfer drop from second place on the leaderboard to tied fifth, leaving him three shots behind tournament leader Lucas Herbert.
The infraction occurred on the fifth hole, where DeChambeau had driven his ball into deep rough. Video footage showed the 32-year-old seemingly trampling down knee-high grass behind his ball. The R&A rules official Grant Moir confirmed the penalty was for "inadvertently improving the area of intended backswing," a breach of Rule 8.1, which governs player actions that improve conditions affecting the stroke.
DeChambeau was whisked away from the course by rules officials to discuss the incident. He spent more than 20 minutes in the recorders' office, engaging in what was described as an animated discussion with officials, including R&A chief executive Mark Darbon. DP World Tour rules official Graeme Storm noted that intent was irrelevant to the ruling, stating that improving the line of play results in the general penalty of two strokes regardless of whether the action was deliberate.
Prior to the penalty, DeChambeau had shot a four-under 66 to move to seven under par, sitting just one shot off the lead after birdieing the 18th. However, the application of the penalty pushed his score back to five under par. The incident has cast uncertainty over his participation in the remainder of the championship, as DeChambeau refused to confirm whether he would play in the third round on Saturday.
Following the ruling, DeChambeau did not provide detailed answers to media inquiries, offering only a brief greeting before heading to the driving range. There, he posed for a selfie with fans and spoke with his team, leaving the status of his tournament bid unresolved as the field looks to Herbert to maintain his lead.
