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 penalty, issued after Friday’s second round, stemmed from DeChambeau inadvertently improving his swing path on the fifth hole.
Officials from the R&A, the tournament’s organiser, determined that DeChambeau had broken rules by trampling down knee-high rough behind his ball. While the R&A clarified that DeChambeau’s actions were accidental, they maintained that the rule still applied, leading to the sanction.
DeChambeau, who is 32 years old, initially believed his round of 66 had placed him one shot off the lead at the halfway point. However, the two-shot penalty significantly impacted his chances of winning the Claret Jug. Following subsequent rounds of 69 and 72 over the weekend, he ultimately finished six shots behind the eventual champion, Ryan Fox.
Scheffler, who was playing alongside DeChambeau when the incident occurred, expressed his long-standing familiarity with his fellow American. He remarked, “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 acknowledged that from certain camera angles, DeChambeau might have appeared “a touch careless around his ball,” but he did not believe any intentional wrongdoing took place.
Controversy and reactions
The decision to penalise DeChambeau was described as a “clear-cut decision from a rules perspective” by Mark Darbon, the R&A chief executive. Despite this, DeChambeau voiced his displeasure, and there was initial uncertainty about whether he would continue in the tournament. He later confirmed on Friday that the incident would “fire” him up for the weekend rounds.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who admitted he is “not fond of” DeChambeau, commented on the situation. McIlroy stated there was “no doubt” that DeChambeau had improved the line of his backswing. He further accused DeChambeau of holding The Open “hostage” due to the prolonged uncertainty surrounding his participation and the delay in third-round tee times. McIlroy observed the incident live in the players’ lounge with other golfers, noting that as soon as DeChambeau stepped into the ball, it seemed incorrect to them.
McIlroy suggested that the two-shot penalty was justified, regardless of whether DeChambeau’s actions were careless or intentional. He also criticised what he perceived as “performative” behaviour from DeChambeau, suggesting it was for attention. The delay in tee times, which did not appear until around 11 pm, was a source of frustration for other competitors, including Marco Penge and Justin Thomas.
Despite the controversy, DeChambeau received a warm reception from the crowd at Birkdale when he began his third round on Saturday. However, some isolated shouts inferring he was a “cheat” were heard. One loud cry of “Bryson ya cheat” was notable on the final green during his third round.
After completing his third round, DeChambeau reportedly went directly to the R&A tournament offices to speak with Mark Darbon. It is understood he requested his physical scorecard from day two, a request Darbon declined. DeChambeau continued to avoid speaking with waiting media members for the third consecutive day.
Calls for stricter policing
Scheffler reiterated his rejection of the notion that DeChambeau is a cheater during his comments after the final round on Sunday. He also suggested that video replays, particularly their angles, could make reviews less conclusive. Scheffler added, “I think we need to get back to the traditions of the game and maybe we do need to police things a little bit more stricter.”
DeChambeau did receive support from fellow American Max Homa, who stated he did not agree with the ruling based on the single angle he saw. Homa added that while DeChambeau can be an “interesting human at times,” he believed DeChambeau would never intentionally cheat in golf. The rules incident and its aftermath created significant discussion throughout the tournament, impacting the experience for players and spectators alike.
The penalty was issued after Friday’s second round of The Open.
Read Also
Source: bbc.co.uk
