Bryson DeChambeau Aims to Play Open After Rules Controversy

At roughly midnight London time on Saturday, Bryson DeChambeau posted a series of images to his Instagram and a brief statement to X. The posts suggested he intended to continue after a rule dispute that arose during the second round of the Open Championship on Friday.

The Instagram feed read “Onto the weekend…” alongside eight photos. Two of those images addressed the two‑stroke penalty that left DeChambeau’s status for the weekend in limbo, as the tournament is staged at Royal Birkdale in England. His X account reflected a similar sentiment: “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.”

One of the Instagram shots cropped DeChambeau hovering over a patch of fescue grass near the 5th hole, accompanied by the caption “walking into the weekend like ….” During the round, a misdirected tee shot landed his ball near that area. In handling the ball he stepped onto and around the fescue while measuring his second shot. USA Network filmed the sequence, and, after play, officials questioned whether his movements had unintentionally improved the playing position—a prohibited action under Rule 8.1b of the Rules of Golf.

A second image, also posted on Instagram, showed DeChambeau in the same fescue cluster, this time with two rules officials present. The photo was taken after the round, when DeChambeau and the officials re‑examined the shot. He appeared visibly frustrated during the discussion.

Following a review in the scoring tent, the R&A amended DeChambeau’s score on the 5th hole from a bogey to a triple‑bogey, dropping him from second place—one stroke behind the leader—to a tie for fifth, three strokes back. Later that afternoon he went to the course’s range to practice, and his agent, Brett Falkoff, said reporters that DeChambeau hadn’t yet decided whether he would continue in the Open and would announce his choice Saturday morning. “He’s a lot of things,” Falkoff told them. “He’s not a cheater.”

The outcome of this decision will likely be revealed at 3:30 p.m. London time (10:30 a.m. ET), the moment DeChambeau is scheduled to tee off on the first hole.

Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance, explained to reporters that the penalty was imposed because DeChambeau “inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing” when navigating his second shot on the 5th hole.

Moir clarified that the rule limits any action that alters playing conditions to the advantage of the stroke, including the space surrounding a player’s swing. An improvement is defined as any change that could benefit the player, even if the action was accidental. While the player may take reasonable steps to position themselves, theynol should pursue the least intrusive method available.

“I would reiterate that this rule applies even when there kamay no intention to improve themutable area,” Moir added. “That’s all I have to say.”

DeChambeau did not hold a press conference on Friday and has yet to issue a formal statement for the weekend.

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