Royal Birkdale: DeChambeau accused of threatening to call Trump over Open penalty
Golfer Bryson DeChambeau has faced accusations of threatening to contact Donald Trump during a dispute with senior R&A officials. The controversy arose after DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty at The Open, held at Royal Birkdale.
The alleged mention of the US president’s name by DeChambeau occurred as he contested the penalty, which had been imposed for improving the line of his swing. This incident became a significant talking point during the 2026 Open.
The penalty was issued after DeChambeau was deemed to have inadvertently improved his swing path on the fifth hole during the second round. Officials determined he had flattened long grass behind his ball, which is a breach of rules. The R&A clarified that while DeChambeau’s actions were accidental, the rule still applied.
DeChambeau, aged 32, strongly argued against the decision. His efforts included returning to the scene of the incident with the R&A’s head of governance and a senior referee to present his case. Despite his arguments, the R&A remained firm on their ruling.
Upon his return to the tournament scoring area, the R&A’s chief executive, Mark Darbon, joined the discussion. It was during this conversation that DeChambeau is understood to have stated he would call Trump if the matter was not resolved in his favour. There is no evidence to suggest that such a call actually took place.
The R&A has not commented on the alleged Trump connection, which was initially reported by the Quadrilateral. DeChambeau has a known association with Trump, having served on the President’s council on sports, fitness and nutrition and having played golf with him. Trump is also known to be in regular contact with several high-profile golfers.
The two-shot penalty significantly impacted DeChambeau’s position, moving him out of second place. After the second round, he had initially believed a score of 66 would place him one shot off the lead. However, the penalty hampered his chances of winning the Claret Jug.
After Saturday’s round, DeChambeau reportedly went directly to Darbon’s office, requesting his round two scorecard. This unusual request was politely declined by the R&A’s chief executive. The R&A has also not commented on this specific request.
Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, defended DeChambeau amidst the controversy, stating that his fellow American is “definitely not a cheater.” Scheffler, who played with DeChambeau during the incident, noted that while DeChambeau might have been “a touch careless” around his ball, he did not believe the actions were intentional.
However, Rory McIlroy, who admitted he is “not fond of” DeChambeau, stated there was “no doubt” that DeChambeau had improved the line of his backswing. McIlroy also accused DeChambeau of holding The Open “to hostage” with his actions and prolonged discussions.
Despite the controversy, DeChambeau received a warm reception from the crowd at Birkdale when he began his third round on Saturday, though there were some isolated shouts suggesting he was a “cheat.” Scheffler rejected this notion, emphasizing his long-standing acquaintance with DeChambeau.
Darbon reiterated that the two-shot penalty was a “clear-cut decision from a rules perspective,” regardless of the player involved. DeChambeau, who did not speak to the mainstream media throughout The Open, later expressed his feelings on Instagram, acknowledging a week of “ups and downs” but expressing pride in his fight.
DeChambeau’s tied-14th finish at The Open marked his best performance in a major tournament in 2026. He is scheduled to participate in the LIV Golf event at the JCB Golf and Country Club, beginning on Thursday.
DeChambeau’s representatives have been approached for comment regarding the incident. The golfer’s participation in the upcoming LIV Golf event follows a week where he avoided a ‘Bryson Slam’ of missing all four major cuts in a season.
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Source: theguardian.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
