American Bryson DeChambeau would have been pleased at the end of his second round at the 2026 Open Championship. After missing the cut at all three majors this season, the 32-year-old had climbed to solo second on Friday. However, things soon unraveled when officials approached him after the round and informed him of a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie on the par-4 fifth hole. The penalty dropped him into a tie for fifth on the leaderboard. With the incident sparking controversy, R&A chief Mark Darbon decided to clear the air.

“Look, I’d say it was an unfortunate set of circumstances at the end of a brilliant day’s golf. So we were really pleased with the day and then obviously had some discussions with Bryson at the back end of the day after the ruling,” Darbon said in an interview with BBC 5 Live Sport.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s atypical at all to flag these infringements and penalties post-round. It was actually a clear-cut decision from a rules perspective. So obviously our team discuss it, the final decision sits with our chief referee, and we have a responsibility to our championship and to the rest of the field. And so, irrespective of which player this affected, it’s the same decision. From a rules perspective, it was clear-cut.”

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

How Many Shots Was Bryson DeChambeau Penalized in R2 of the Open?

2134

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

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The penalty changed DeChambeau’s score on the fifth hole from bogey to triple bogey. The officials didn’t inform him right then and there, but waited until the round finished. They did return with him to the fifth hole. He argued his case in a heated exchange that lasted around 15 minutes, but had to accept it.

It may be controversial, but Darbon noted that the ruling was fair. Under the R&A’s Rule 8, “Course Played as It Is Found,” golfers are not allowed to improve the conditions affecting their next stroke. The rule clearly states that players cannot move, bend, or break any growing or attached natural object.

When DeChambeau found his ball and was deciding on his next shot, he stomped on the grass around it. Regardless of whether it was intentional, the rules officials ruled that his actions improved the conditions, as they affected the tall grass directly in front of the American’s ball. This isn’t an isolated event either.

The R&A is very serious about rules and traditions. Last year, for instance, Shane Lowry suffered a two-stroke penalty. It was during the second round of The Open at Royal Portrush. He accidentally caused his ball to move, and it had to be replaced. That turned his par on the 12th hole into a double-bogey. Earlier, in 2013, at Muirfield, Hideki Matsuyama faced a one-stroke penalty for the slow pace of play at The Open.

Darbon also responded to a tongue-in-cheek question from a reporter, who asked whether President Donald Trump had reached out to him regarding the penalty. The two-time major champion has a very good relationship with Trump and has even played golf with him multiple times in the past. But the question was more of a joke, referring to Trump’s intervention in a red card shown to USMNT star Folarin Balogun, which was later reversed at the FIFA World Cup earlier this year.

“It’s unlike you to pose a mischievous question, Iain. No, I have not received a call from President Trump. And we’ll see what happens from here,” the R&A chief said.

This was a tough decision for DeChambeau to accept. He even had a heated discussion about it, during which he appeared to suggest that he no longer wanted to play the rest of The Open because of the penalty.

Bryson DeChambeau’s plans for the remainder of The Open Championships

The fears that DeChambeau would not return were amplified by his agent, Brett Falkoff. “We’ll see if he shows up tomorrow,” he said, admitting that the chances of him sitting out were high. But when the dust settled, those feelings appeared to change.

The California native later posted on X that he was more motivated than ever to win this major.

“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,” he wrote.

Despite the two-stroke penalty, he remains five under par through 36 holes. That leaves him just three shots behind the co-leaders, Ryan Fox and Lucas Herbert, keeping him firmly in contention heading into the weekend.