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Bryson DeChambeau has commented publicly after receiving a two-shot penalty at the Open Championship on Friday, July 17 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club."Obviously disappointed with the ruling," the golfer posted on X later that day. "I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is."The 2024 US Open winner was handed the penalty after finishing the second round in second place with a score of 7-under, one strok behind surprise leader Lucas Herbert. Officials flagged him for stepping on the long grass at the fifth hole, improving his lie and clearing the path for his backswing. The penalty resulted in a revised triple bogey-7 on the hole, dropping the 32-year-old into a tie for fifth at 5-under.R&A referee Grant Moir explained the penalty to the media in a press conference. He said that the rule in question "restricts what a player may do to improve any of the protected conditions affecting the stroke and this includes the area of the player's intended swing. ... I will stress this applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson's case."The player must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing," Moir continued. "This rule applies even when there's no intention to improve the area."After the round, R&A rules official Charlie Maran said DeChambeau and an official took a golf cart back to the 5th hole to analyze the situation. The golfer was later seen leaving the scoring tent having an intense conversation with an official. He seemingly told another official that he wouldn't be "playing tomorrow" in the third round.Now, it appears that he is going to continue playing, after all."This fires me up," his social media post continued. "Onto the weekend. Let’s get it."Contributing: Mark Giannotto
