Scheffler defends DeChambeau amid Open penalty discussion
World number one Scottie Scheffler has defended Bryson DeChambeau, stating he is “definitely not a cheater,” following a two-shot penalty incident at The Open. The discussion surrounding the rules infringement, which occurred during Friday’s second round, has continued to be a prominent topic.
DeChambeau received the penalty after officials from the R&A, the organisers of The Open, determined he had inadvertently improved his swing path on the fifth hole. The R&A clarified that DeChambeau‘s actions, which involved trampling down knee-high rough behind his ball, were accidental, but stressed that the rule still applied.
The American golfer initially believed his round of 66 would place him a shot off the lead at the halfway point of the tournament. However, the two-shot penalty significantly impacted his chances of securing the Claret Jug. Following subsequent rounds of 69 and 72 over the weekend, DeChambeau finished six shots behind the eventual champion, Ryan Fox.
Despite the controversy, DeChambeau chose not to speak with the media throughout the week, including after Sunday’s final round. This silence followed his earlier complaints about feeling unfairly treated by the decision.
Scheffler’s Defence and McIlroy’s Criticism
Scheffler, who was playing alongside DeChambeau when the incident took place, offered a strong defence of his fellow American. “I’ve never seen him cheat once, whether we were having a putting or chipping contest, or anytime we played amateur golf, I never saw anything suspicious,” Scheffler stated. He acknowledged that video replays from certain angles might suggest carelessness around the ball but maintained that DeChambeau acted without intentional wrongdoing.
The R&A chief executive, Mark Darbon, described the two-shot penalty as a “clear-cut decision from a rules perspective.” However, this did not prevent DeChambeau from expressing his displeasure. There was initial uncertainty about whether he would continue in the tournament due to the ruling, though he later indicated on Friday that it would “fire” him up for the remainder of the weekend.
In contrast to Scheffler‘s defence, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was critical of DeChambeau‘s conduct. McIlroy, who admitted he is “not fond of” DeChambeau, asserted there was “no doubt” that the American had improved the line of his backswing. McIlroy went further, accusing his rival of holding The Open to “hostage” due to the dispute. He stated that he watched the incident live and, along with other players, immediately felt something was amiss when DeChambeau stepped into the ball.
McIlroy believed the two-shot penalty was justified, regardless of whether DeChambeau‘s actions were careless or intentional. He noted that the situation created a significant delay in announcing tee times for the third round, which did not appear until around 11pm. This delay was bemoaned by other competitors, including Marco Penge and Justin Thomas, with McIlroy also deeming it unacceptable. DeChambeau was observed practicing on the Royal Birkdale driving range until after dark, while still declining to engage with waiting media.
McIlroy suggested that much of DeChambeau‘s behaviour was “performative” and aimed at gaining attention. He found it unacceptable for the tournament to be held “hostage” while players, volunteers, and others waited for DeChambeau‘s status to be clarified. Despite the controversy, DeChambeau generally received a warm reception from the crowd at Birkdale during his third round on Saturday. However, isolated shouts inferring he was a “cheat” were heard, particularly on the final green.
Post-Round Interactions and Continued Discussion
Following the completion of his third round, DeChambeau proceeded directly to the R&A tournament offices to speak with Mark Darbon. It is understood that DeChambeau requested his physical scorecard from day two, a request which Darbon politely declined. For the third consecutive day, DeChambeau bypassed waiting media members.
Justin Thomas also declined media requests after his third round. However, Marco Penge elaborated on his frustrations regarding the delays. He described the situation as “a bit of a joke,” noting the inconvenience of not receiving a tee time until 11pm, especially when staying an hour away. Penge felt that players should have received at least a heads-up about the first tee time, acknowledging the commotion that caused the delays.
Scheffler reiterated his stance after his final round on Sunday, stating, “All I’ll say is I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s a lot of things, but he’s definitely not a cheater.” The 2025 Open champion suggested that video replay angles might not be conclusive for reviews. He also expressed a belief that the game needs to return to its traditions and potentially enforce rules more strictly. Max Homa, another compatriot, also offered support for DeChambeau, stating that he did not agree with the ruling based on the single angle he saw and affirming that DeChambeau would “never cheat the game of golf.”
DeChambeau received a warm reception from the Birkdale crowd when he stepped out for the third round on Saturday.
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Source: bbc.com
