Royal Birkdale: DeChambeau receives two-shot penal...

By Daniel Forsythe — 18 July 2026 — 4 min read

Dramatic Ruling at Royal Birkdale

Bryson DeChambeau, the two-time US Open champion, was assessed a two-shot penalty following the second round of The Open at Royal Birkdale. The ruling, which he stated he disagreed with, altered his position on the leaderboard, moving him from one shot off the lead to three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.

The incident occurred on the fifth hole, where DeChambeau was accused of trampling on long grass near his ball. Officials determined that he had “inadvertently improving his lie,” a breach of Rule 8.1, which concerns actions that improve conditions affecting a stroke. This rule applies even if the action is accidental, as confirmed by Grant Moir, the R&A‘s executive director of governance.

Initially, DeChambeau had completed his round with a four-under 66, which would have placed him at seven under par. However, the penalty adjusted his score for the round to a 68, placing him at five under par overall. This change saw him drop from outright second place to a share of fifth.

Bryson DeChambeau is driven back to the fifth hole by an R&A official. The American was later penalised two shots.Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Credit: theguardian.com

Post-Round Discussions and Reaction

Following his round, DeChambeau was driven by rules officials back to the fifth hole to discuss the alleged infringement. Videos had surfaced showing the 32-year-old American seemingly trampling down knee-high rough behind his ball after a wayward drive. The animated discussion involved DeChambeau attempting to demonstrate how he had played the shot.

After spending more than 20 minutes in the recorders’ office with officials, including R&A chief executive Mark Darbon, the penalty was confirmed. DeChambeau expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, “Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it.”

When emerging from the discussions, DeChambeau did not directly answer questions from the assembled media, instead making comments such as, “Are you guys having a great night? I’m having a great night.” He then proceeded to the driving range to “hit some balls,” where he was seen posing for a selfie with fans before consulting with his team.

Bryson DeChambeau (left) departs scoring after being handed a two-shot penalty.Photograph: Andrew Boyers Credit: theguardian.com

Rule Infringement Details

The core of the ruling stemmed from DeChambeau‘s actions on the fifth hole, where his ball landed in deep rough. Grant Moir clarified that DeChambeau was penalised for “inadvertently improving the area of intended backswing on fifth hole.” Moir reiterated that the rule applies even when the action is unintentional, as it was deemed in this case.

DP World Tour rules official Graeme Storm, providing commentary for 5 Live radio, explained the rule’s application. He stated that improving the line of play for a club to hit the golf ball, regardless of intent, constitutes improving the lie and incurs the general penalty of two shots. The rule, as quoted by Moir, dictates that a player “must not move, bend or break any natural object,” even without intention.

The incident created significant drama, with live images of DeChambeau‘s discussions with officials being shown on a big screen, revealing his frustration. Journalists gathered, anticipating the outcome, and the suspense was high as the decision was awaited.

DeChambeau’s Performance and Approach

Before the penalty, DeChambeau had been in strong form, particularly on an attritional Friday afternoon at Royal Birkdale. He managed to navigate increasing winds effectively, putting himself in contention for the tournament. This performance came despite earlier comments from three-time Open champion Nick Faldo, who suggested DeChambeau lacked the strategic understanding for links courses.

Faldo had previously stated that DeChambeau had “zero clue of strategy,” believing he often relied on power over precision. DeChambeau‘s history includes missed cuts at the Masters, US PGA Championship, and US Open earlier in the year, leading to speculation about his ability to adapt his game.

However, his play on Friday, particularly his short game, impressed former European Tour winner Andrew Murray, who followed him for BBC Radio 5 Live. Murray noted DeChambeau‘s patience and sensible approach, describing his play as “very linksy” and suggesting he possessed the game to succeed at Royal Birkdale. DeChambeau‘s birdie on the 18th hole had initially placed him in second position before the penalty was applied.