Rory McIlroy has accused Bryson DeChambeau of holding the Open Championship "hostage" after the American received a two-stroke penalty at Royal Birkdale. DeChambeau was penalized for "inadvertently improving his lie" before his second shot at the fifth hole during the second round, dropping him from one off the lead to three back at five under par.

"I think there's no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing," said world number two Rory McIlroy. "Whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don't think it matters... the two-shot penalty was justified for sure." The lengthy discussions with R&A officials delayed Saturday's tee times. "To hold the tournament hostage like that... I didn't feel like it was a great look," McIlroy added.

R&A chief executive Mark Darbon called the decision "clear-cut" but declined to confirm whether DeChambeau threatened to withdraw. DeChambeau, who beat McIlroy at the 2024 US Open, posted on X: "Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don't agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up."