Sam Burns and DeChambeau were paired together to tee off at 10.30 a.m. But DeChambeau’s Friday night controversy dominated the conversation the entire day. The American was penalized a two-shot penalty for improving his lie in the tall grass at the par-4 fifth. While many tour pros have shared their opinion, some speak in favor while others give sharp criticism; Sam Burns came away from the course with a clear message.

“I thought the fans were very supportive of Bryson today,” Burns added at the post-round press conference. “We didn’t discuss it any. In my personal opinion, I honestly feel bad for Bryson in the situation that he was in. From my perspective, I didn’t feel like maybe there was enough evidence for him to deserve a penalty there.

“I feel bad for him. I think he played an incredible round of golf late yesterday, and it’s unfortunate to have something kind of like that where they come in after your round and tell you you’re being docked two shots. But props to him. He came out and played a really nice round of golf today, and that takes a lot of grit to be able to come out and do that. So I was impressed.”

🤔 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

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

It’s been a whirlwind week for Burns off the course. He only committed to playing at Birkdale at the last minute after he and his wife welcomed their child earlier than expected. Despite everything, Burns is impressed by the way DeChambeau handled himself under the circumstances.

Bryson DeChambeau, for his part, showed the resilience he was praised for. After facing three days of sharp criticism and harsh narratives against him, he opened the round at five under. He opened his round with a bogey at the par-4 2nd, immediately putting him under pressure, given he started the day three shots off the leader.

He answered at the 6th, a brutal 499-yard par-4 that had played as the hardest hole at Royal Birkdale all week. DeChambeau curled in a 35-foot putt for birdie to get back to level par for the day. That was his first birdie of the round, still three shots off the pace at the time.

He made two more birdies on the back nine, on the 15th and the 17th. Moreover, he showed short-game composure as he carried through his shots from the bunker. He finished his round at 69, 6-under.

That said, Sam Burns isn’t a lone voice supporting Bryson DeChambeau. Xander Schauffele said DeChambeau was stepping into his stance the way any player would in high brush and that he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Additionally, Max Homa went further, saying he “didn’t agree” with the ruling and insisted DeChambeau “would never cheat the game of golf.” Russell Henley insisted on the fairness problem of DeChambeau being on camera for every single shot. He argued the lapse might have gone unnoticed for a lesser-watched player.

That said, as Sam Burns has shown support for Bryson DeChambeau, he also put up a stellar performance for his own.

Burns backs up his record 62 with another piece of history.

His third round was built on a hot start. He birdied the second hole and then added another at the short par-3 fourth. Furthermore, he kept the run going with back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth to reach eight under and share most of the lead. His momentum was derailed a little with a sloppy bogey at the par-4 ninth, his only blemish of the day. He closed 31 on his pristine front nine.

On the back nine, he settled into pars for most of the time before finding two more birdies at the par-5 14th and again at the par-5 17th. He closed out a five-under 65 for the day. Adding Friday’s record-tying 62, Burns has now put together the lowest 36-hole score in men’s major championship history.

It has been a stretch of a week that carried him from a share of fifth at the start of Saturday into the lead heading into Sunday. Moreover, he has made this performance after banking a runner-up finish at this year’s U.S. Open. If he can maintain the lead and lift the trophy on Sunday, it will be an exciting watch.