In astonishing scenes at Royal Birkdale on Friday, Bryson DeChambeau could be seen shouting animatedly at rules officials after being penalised two strokes for improving his lie on the fifth hole. The American, who had shot to second place in the standings after an impressive second round, was furious at the decision and is now threatening to pull out of The Open.
"I don't agree with it, this fires me up," DeChambeau told reporters. The two-stroke penalty dropped him from contention at a major where he had been mounting a serious challenge. The incident sparked a heated exchange with a rules official, with the American screaming at the official in a shocking meltdown.
“Bryson DeChambeau lands two-shot penalty at The Open and threatens to pull out after furious meltdown”
The controversy centres on the fifth hole, where officials ruled that DeChambeau had improved his lie. The American vehemently disagreed, and his anger spilled over into what witnesses described as a bizarre cheating scandal. While the R&A has not commented, DeChambeau's camp is reportedly considering withdrawing from the championship in protest.
If he does pull out, it would mark an extraordinary end to what had been a remarkable turnaround. After struggling in the opening round, DeChambeau stormed back with a brilliant second round to rocket up the leaderboard. But his fury at the penalty threatens to overshadow his performance, leaving fans and fellow players stunned at the scenes unfolding on the Lancashire coast.
