SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — Bryson DeChambeau high-fived a line of spectators, accepted a request for a selfie with a kid and then stopped to fist-bump a fan after leaving the driving range for his third round at the British Open.Shouts of “We love you Bryson” and “Go Bryson” followed him to the first tee, where fans cheered and whooped when he was introduced by the starter.If the American was concerned how he’d be received at Royal Birkdale the day after his heated brush with officials and subsequent two-shot penalty that blew up the final major of the year, he needn’t have worried.OK, there was the odd jibe from the deep galleries — “Watch your step, Bryson” was one of them — but DeChambeau enjoyed overwhelmingly positive support around the parched, sun-kissed links in his third-round 69 that left him four shots off the lead on Saturday.In fact, golf’s big entertainer seemed to revel in it.
After hitting his tee shot at No. 1 left and onto trampled-down grass near spectators, DeChambeau flicked away a pine cone and remarked that it was a “loose impediment” — sparking some laughter.On the second hole, he appeared to have a wry smile on his face as he assessed how to get to his ball that was buried in thick grass to the back left of the green. Every movement and practice swing by DeChambeau was met with a “ooooooh” by fans, clearly a nod to Friday and his heavily scrutinized actions in deep rough at the fifth hole that sparked the rules review.At the par-4 sixth hole, DeChambeau drew more laughter from spectators when he addressed his second shot by stretching out his legs in an exaggerated stance — similar to how he stood for the shot in question on Friday.
