During the second round at Royal Birkdale, Bryson DeChambeau found himself two shots behind the leader Lucas Herbert after scoring 67 and 66. A heated conversation with R&A officials on the par‑four fifth, ganwhere DeChambeau was judged to have improved the area for his backswing, culminated in a two‑shot penalty under Rule 8.1. The penalty turned a bogey into a triple‑bogey seven, dropping him three places and forcing him to leave the course at 10:30 pm without speaking to the media.

Sir Nick Faldo and Paul McGinley criticised DeChambeau’s reaction, saying he “made himself the story” and “didn’t respect the referees.” Grant Moir, executive director of governance for The R&A, confirmed that the rule applies even when the action is accidental, while Rich Beem noted the incident was “unfortunate” but that the officials were correct.

The incident, which lasted nearly 75 minutes, drew media attention and raised questions about fairness and the role of cameras. Despite the drama, the R&A stood by its decision, emphasising that players must respect the rules regardless of intent.

The event underscores the strictness of golf rules and the importance of players maintaining composure, even when faced with unexpected rulings.