Open 2026: Bryson DeChambeau’s two-shot penalty at Royal Birkdale was a ‘clear-cut decision’, says R&A chief Mark Durbon

DeChambeau, 32, moved to within one shot of the lead on Friday – finishing seven under par with a four-under 66 – but was penalized after he stepped on the long grass near his ball on the fifth hole.

There was some doubt as to whether DeChambeau would continue to play in the tournament, but later on Friday he said the decision would “fire” him for the weekend.

The two-time US Open champion, who is now three shots behind Australian overnight leader Lucas Herbert, will tee off at 15:30 BST.

Durbon would not be drawn on whether DeChambeau threatened to pull out of the weekend Friday night.

“It’s fair to say there was some emotion around it and we’ll keep certain aspects of those discussions private,” Darbon said.

He added: “There was some emotion but I sympathized with it. Bryson played a great round of golf, is in contention at a major championship, he wants to win a real major in golf.

“We were focused on governance and making a fair assessment.”