Bryson DeChambeau penalty gives Lucas Herbert breathing room at The Open

Bryson DeChambeau was handed a two-shot penalty at Royal Birkdale on Friday after officials ruled he had accidentally improved the area of his intended backswing in thick rough on the fifth hole. The decision changed his second-round score from 66 to 68, dropping him three shots behind Australian leader Lucas Herbert and reshaping the weekend battle for The Open.

DeChambeau strongly disputed the ruling and briefly cast doubt over whether he would continue, but later said the setback had fired him up for the weekend. For Australian viewers, the controversy has increased Herbert's advantage while placing one of golf's most powerful and unpredictable players directly in the chasing pack.

The Full Story

DeChambeau appeared to have played himself into Saturday's final pairing after closing his second round with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. His four-under 66 initially moved him to seven under for the championship, one stroke behind Herbert, whose record-equalling 62 established the halfway lead at eight under.

Attention then shifted back to DeChambeau's second shot on the par-four fifth. His drive had finished in knee-high rough, and television footage showed him walking around the ball before hacking it over the green. Officials concluded that his movements had pressed down grass in the area through which his club would travel during the backswing.

DeChambeau returned to the fifth hole with officials and used a club while explaining how he had played the shot. The discussions continued in the scoring area, involving R&A governance executive Grant Moir and chief executive Mark Darbon. More than an hour after DeChambeau walked off the 18th, the ruling was confirmed under Rule 8.1, which restricts actions that improve conditions affecting a stroke.

His bogey five became a triple-bogey seven. That reduced his tournament score from seven under to five under, leaving him tied with Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim rather than alongside Herbert in the last group. DeChambeau then went to the practice range, where he continued hitting balls after dark.

The Main Players

DeChambeau is a two-time US Open champion whose aggressive methods and unusual approach regularly attract attention. He disagreed with the penalty but later confirmed his intention to continue through a social media post.

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.

Moir was responsible for explaining the decision. He said officials accepted that DeChambeau had not acted deliberately, but intention was not required for a penalty when the conditions affecting a stroke had been improved.

I'll stress that this applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson's case.

Herbert, meanwhile, is the major beneficiary on the leaderboard. The Victorian leads at eight under after rounds of 70 and 62, with Cameron Young, Ryan Gerard and Jackson Suber two shots behind. Herbert's 62 matched the lowest round recorded in a men's major, although a missed five-foot putt at the final hole denied him a historic 61.

Key Statistics

• DeChambeau's second-round score changed from 66 to 68.
• His fifth-hole score changed from a bogey five to a triple-bogey seven.
• He fell from seven under to five under, three strokes behind Herbert.
• Herbert leads at eight under after a record-equalling round of 62.
• The ruling was confirmed more than 70 minutes after DeChambeau completed his round.

What This Means

The penalty gives Herbert a larger cushion, but it does not remove DeChambeau from contention. Three shots can disappear quickly on a links course, particularly with stronger wind and difficult pin positions expected to influence scoring over the weekend.

For Herbert, the altered leaderboard means he will avoid sharing the final Saturday pairing with DeChambeau. That may reduce some immediate pressure, although experienced major contenders remain close enough to punish any mistakes. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood are four under, while DeChambeau now begins the weekend alongside Burns and Kim.

The ruling also illustrates how golf's rules cover more than the position of the ball itself. The protected conditions include the intended stance and swing path, so flattening attached grass can produce a penalty even when the ball does not move and the action is judged accidental.

What to Expect

DeChambeau has indicated that he will play the third round and attempt to recover the lost ground. His response will be closely watched after the heated discussions and his decision to practise late into the evening.

Herbert will begin the weekend with the outright lead and a chance to improve on his previous best major finish, a tie for 13th at the 2022 US PGA Championship. The confirmed leaderboard has Herbert at eight under, three Americans at six under and DeChambeau among the group at five under.