DeChambeau docked two strokes at in controversial Friday finish
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States looks across the 11th hole with his caddie during Day Two of the The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 17, 2026 in Southport, England. (Photo by Stuart Kerr/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Bryson DeChambeau’s presence in the third round of The Open is far from certain after the American reacted angrily to being slapped with a two-shot penalty for inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing on the fifth hole.
The LIV Golf star saw a 66 turn into a 68 after he appeared to flatten the fescue on his backswing while playing his second shot to the drivable par-four.
As a result, his bogey became a triple bogey seven and he fell from solo second, a shot behind Lucas Herbert, to three behind the Australian into a tie for fifth on five under.
His agent, Brett Falkoff, explained: “Bryson was informed after his round, told he improved his swing path, that he was not careful enough in a sensitive area.”
Falkoff described it as a subjective decision and that his player was not given the benefit of the doubt.
When asked if DeChambeau, who was hitting balls on the range, would play in the third round, he responded: “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Grant Moir, the R&A Executive Director, Governance, explained the ruling that angered DeChambeau.
“Ruling 1 restricts what a player may do to improve any of the protected conditions affecting the stroke, and this includes the area of the player’s intended swing,” he said.
“So an improvement means to alter one or more of the conditions affecting the stroke so that the player gains a potential advantage for the stroke.
“Now, I’ll stress that this applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson’s case.
“The area of intended swing includes the entire area that might reasonably affect any part of the backswing, the downswing or the complaining of the swing for the intended stroke, and importantly, what the prohibited action here is that the player mustn’t move, bend or break any growing or attached natural object.
“A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance, if in some situations that improves the condition affecting the stroke, but when doing so, the player must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.
“I would reiterate this rule applies even when there’s no intention to improve the area, as was the case with Bryson.”
DeChambeau overshadowed by a brace of Major Championship record-equalling 62s when he was issued with a post-round two-stroke penalty for a controversial rules infringement in the 154th Open Championship.
Minutes after making a 12-footer at the 18th for an action-packed 66 that left him a shot behind the Australian Lucas Herbert, who shot a 62 to lead on eight-under, he ended up three behind in a tie for fifth.
A two-shot penalty imposed for trampling down fescue behind his ball when trying to line up his recovery from a penalty area right of the drivable fifth, turning his bogey five into a triple bogey seven, turning his 66 into a 68.
It was a bizarre end to a thrilling day that saw Herbert miss a five-footer for the lowest round in men’s Major history before tapping in for an eight-under 62, later matched by Sam Burns, to lead on eight-under.
DeChambeau barrelled his way to the front of the chasing posse with a birdie-birdie finish for a 66 only to be quizzed afterwards by rules officials Mark Litton and Grant Moir for potentially improving his lie when extricating himself from the rough at the drivable fifth.
The two-time US Open champion appeared to flatten down long grass behind his ball as he stepped back to align himself.
Officials took him back to the scene of the incident, where a visibly upset DeChambeau tried to explain his actions.
If he goes on to win, he will make history as nobody has missed the cut in the first three Majors of the year and won the fourth.
It promises to be a cavalry charge for the line over the final 36 holes with the field covered by just nine strokes.
While 37 of the last 42 Open winners have been within four shots of the lead at halfway, a repeat of the low scoring witnessed in round two opens the door for the chasing pack.
Cameron Young (67), Jackson Suber (69) and Ryan Gerard (67) are just two shots behind, with Burns three back alongside Si Woo Kim after his 62.
As for the star names, the chasing posse on four-under includes Robert MacIntyre (69), Alex Fitzpatrick (67), Scottie Scheffler (68), Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Jon Rahm (67), who was issued with an official warning for throwing a club after his tee shot on the 15th hole under The Open serious misconduct policy.]
Shane Lowry’s 68 left him five behind on three under while Rory. McIlroy has it all to do after a 67 left him seven behind Herbert.
The early drama came from the Australian (30), who has spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety and even considered quitting golf when rumours first emerged that Saudi Arabia’s PIF was going to withdraw its funding of the LIV Golf League,
"I think everyone gets anxious,” he said. “It's just about dealing with it. I didn't sign up here to come play this tournament stress-free.
"The thing that makes winning an Open Championship so amazing is the anxiety you've got to deal with... that's the challenge. That's what makes it so fulfilling.”
He raced to the turn in six-under 28 and was eight under after further birdies at the 11th and 12th.
Another birdie at the 16th left him needing two pars for a 61, the lowest round in men’s Major history.
Two birdies would have given him a 59, but he failed to birdie the par-five 17th and bogeyed the last, missing a five-footer for a 61.
"I'm absolutely disappointed, and at the same time, so proud of today,” the 2021 Irish Open champion said. “It's a pretty good problem to have, to be disappointed you shot 62.
"I didn't hit a bad putt. I can at least sleep easy tonight knowing I didn't hit a bad putt; I just misread it.”
HISTORY!
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 17, 2026
An up-close look at Sam Burns’ hole out to shoot 62 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iJJsq3hy1m
Herbert’s 62 was the sixth in Major history (Shane Lowry joined the club in the 2024 US PGA) and just the second in The Open after Branden Grace made history by recording the first at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
It goes down as a course record for the redesigned course, but it was a record matched just 22 minutes later by Burns, who had just 21 putts as he came home in 30 blows, holing a bunker shot at the last for his 62.
“I caught myself by surprise,” said Burns, who only decided to travel last Friday as his wife gave birth to their second child on July 3, a baby girl, 11 days earlier than expected.
He was surprised by his score, as he is “not a huge fan of links golf” and has recorded just one top-10 in seven appearances.
“It's not something I'm very familiar with,” he said. “I get to do it maybe once a year. I don't know what to say.”
While there are big names in the chasing pack, several big names joined Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington in missing the one-over-par cut.
They included 2022 champion Cameron Smith, US PGA champion Aaron Rai, Tom McKibbin —who shot two 71s to miss by one— US Open champion Wyndham Clark, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland and Brian Harman.
They also included amateurs David Howard and Stuart Grehan, who shot brilliant 69s but missed out on three-over and six-over, respectively.
