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

DeChambeau, 32, appeared to take a one-shot lead Friday with a 66-4 to finish seven under par, but he was penalized on the fifth hole after he was deemed to have trampled tall grass near his tee.

There was some doubt about whether DeChambeau would continue playing in the tournament, but he said later Friday that the decision would “fire up” him for the weekend.

The two-time US Open champion, who is currently three shots behind Australia’s overnight leader Lucas Herbert, will kick off at 15:30 BST on Saturday.

Darbon remained undecided on whether DeChambeau threatened to pull out of the weekend on Friday night.

“It’s fair to say there are some feelings about this, and we will keep some aspects of this discussion private,” Darbon said.

He added: “There was some emotion but I understand that. “Bryson has played a great round of golf, he’s in contention for a major championship, he’s looking to win golf’s original major.

“We focused on the decision and made a fair assessment.”