DeChambeau Stomped the Grass, Got Docked Two Strokes, and Now He’s Talking About Walking Home
Bryson DeChambeau birdied the 18th at Royal Birkdale on Friday, pumped his fist, and walked off thinking he’d shot 66 — 7 under for the tournament, one shot off the lead, playing in the final group on Saturday. That’s not what happened.
R&A officials were waiting for him at the scoring area. They wanted to go back to the 5th hole.
DeChambeau’s tee shot on the drivable par-4 had found tall fescue well right of the green. Video reviewed after the round showed him stepping on the grass behind his ball repeatedly, pressing it down. The R&A ruled that he had improved the area of his intended swing. Two strokes. His bogey became a triple bogey. His 66 became a 68. And his spot in solo second became a tie for fifth at 5 under, three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.
DeChambeau rode back out to the 5th hole with officials and his caddie to plead his case. The scene, captured by Golf Channel cameras, needed no audio. Wild gestures, visible frustration, officials standing in the trampled grass while a two-time U.S. Open winner tried to talk his way out of it. They rode back to the scoring area. The penalty stood.
R&A executive director of governance Grant Moir confirmed the ruling after the round. “Bryson has been penalized two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing,” Moir told the media. He stressed that Rule 8.1 applies even when the action is accidental — which, in DeChambeau’s case, the R&A determined it was. The rule restricts players from moving, bending, or breaking any growing or attached natural object that affects the stroke. A player may fairly take their stance, Moir said, but must take “the least intrusive course of action” and “is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.”
In other words: you don’t have to mean it. You just have to do it. The film doesn’t lie.
DeChambeau was furious. During the argument with officials, he appeared to say, “I’m not playing tomorrow.” He wouldn’t answer questions from reporters on the walk back about whether he would actually withdraw. His agent, speaking to Kevin Van Valkenburg, confirmed DeChambeau was “legitimately considering” leaving England before Saturday’s third round.
“He’s a lot of things. He’s not a cheater,” the agent said. “He’s a big boy. He’ll see how he feels. But he certainly feels he was unfairly penalized.”
The agent did not confirm that DeChambeau would show up to play on Saturday.
The penalty lands at a peculiar moment in DeChambeau’s season. He had missed the cut at each of the first three majors of 2026 before arriving at Royal Birkdale, where he’d put together his best performance of the year. Now, instead of chasing Herbert from the final pairing, he’s in a cluster alongside Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim — three shots back, and the biggest storyline of the weekend whether he tees it up or doesn’t.
If he plays and wins, he overcomes a ruling he considers unjust. If he finishes a shot or two short, the penalty becomes the story. And if he goes home, the story becomes something else entirely.
DeChambeau had not made a final decision as of Friday evening.
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