Scottie Scheffler calls for a change to the Open rules after the penalty drama with Bryson DeChambeau
Scottie Scheffler has asked for “stricter” rules after Bryson DeChambeau’s controversy at the 154th Open Championship.
Even though Australia’s Ryan Fox won the event, much of the talk from fans and media has focused on DeChambeau’s actions during day two.
Bryson, an American, was given a two-shot penalty in the second round at Royal Birkdale because the officials said he accidentally broke a rule about “improving his lie.”
The 32-year-old was found to have broken Rule 8.1, which says players must play the course as they find it and can’t change things that affect their next shot, like the spot where the ball lies, their stance, swing area, or the path they plan to play.
The penalty stood, even though Bryson argued with the officials. Some thought he might quit the tournament, with his agent saying, “We’ll see if he shows up tomorrow.” Later, Bryson posted on his X account: “Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it.”
Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance, explained that the rule applies even if the player didn’t mean to break it. He said that changing any protected area, even by accident, can give an unfair advantage.
Some people, like Sir Nick Faldo, criticized Bryson’s behavior as attention-seeking. Rory McIlroy said he didn’t really like Bryson’s “performative” style and felt it was holding the tournament back.
Scottie Scheffler shared his views, saying he didn’t think Bryson was a “cheater,” but he felt the rules might need stronger enforcement.
He said, “Maybe we need to be a bit stricter in how we watch the players, but it’s tricky because guys like Bryson get a lot of TV time, and sometimes camera angles can make things look different than they really are.
“I’ve known Bryson a long time, and while he’s many things, he’s definitely not a cheater. I’ve never seen him cheat, whether in casual games or tournaments.
“Watching him from that angle, maybe he was a bit careless around his ball, but I don’t think it was on purpose.
“Golf is a tough sport when it comes to rules. When I was young, if something was borderline, you tried to stay far on the right side of the rules. But sometimes players push the limits a bit too much.
“I think we need to stick to golf’s traditions and maybe police the rules more strictly. But it’s a fine line, so it’s hard to say. Bryson’s not a cheater in my eyes.”
Here’s how the leaderboard looked after that round:
-10: Ryan Fox
-9: Cameron Young
-8: Sam Burns
-7: Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood
-6: Casey Jarvis, Lucas Herbert, Si Woo Kim
-5: Adam Scott, Russell Henley, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Ludvig Åberg, Ryan Gerard
-4: Corey Conners, Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama, Bryson DeChambeau