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Whether Bryson DeChambeau made an honest mistake or an active choice to move his ball to a better spot doesn’t matter to Rory McIlroy.
The two-time reigning Masters champ thinks the penalty was deserved.
DeChambeau was at the center of a controversy Friday when he was assessed a two-stroke penalty at the British Open after officials ruled he illegally improved his lie in high grass on the fifth hole.
It dropped him from 7-under par to 5-under.
On Saturday, McIlroy made clear the R&A officials made the right call.
Bryson DeChambeau making his case Friday. @Cam_Jourdan/X“I was watching it live, I was up in the players’ lounge with a few of the other players,” he said.
“As soon as he made the step into the ball, we all sort of looked at each other and were like, ‘That didn’t seem right.’ When I heard that he’d been pulled in by the rules officials, I think it was obvious for why. I think there’s no doubt he improved the line of his backswing, whether it was careless or if it was intentional, it doesn’t matter, hopefully was careless.
Rory McIlroy in action at the British Open. Mark Newcombe/visionsingolf.com/Shutterstock“I think the two-shot penalty was justified.
“To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look,” McIlroy added.
This story will be updated
English (US)