McIlroy Calls DeChambeau Penalty at Open 'Pretty Obvious' Rory McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, openly criticized Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty at The Open, calling the ruling “pretty obvious” after reviewing the incident on television. The controversy arose when DeChambeau stepped into tall fescue grass around his ball on the fifth hole at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, an action deemed to have improved the area of his intended swing. McIlroy, who played alongside DeChambeau in the tournament, described the moment as clearly against the rules, even though other golfers initially gave DeChambeau the benefit of the doubt. McIlroy recounted watching the incident in the players’ lounge, where he and several other golfers exchanged glances upon seeing DeChambeau’s actions. “As soon as he made the step into the ball, we all sort of looked at each other, and we were like, ‘That didn’t seem right,’” he said after his round of 1-under 69 left him at 2 over after 54 holes. The R&A’s ruling confirmed the penalty, with Grant Moir, the governing body’s executive director of governance, stating the rule applies even if the action was accidental. DeChambeau, who believed he had completed a 4-under 66, was not informed of the penalty until after finishing his round. The penalty, which dropped his score from 7 under to 5 under after the second round, was enforced after he and R&A officials returned to the native area right of the fifth fairway. DeChambeau reenacted his swing and passionately argued his case, but the ruling stood. McIlroy emphasized that the penalty was justified regardless of intent, stating, “I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing. Whether it was careless or intentional, I don’t think it matters. The two-shot penalty was justified.#rory_mcilroy #bryson_dechambeau #the_open #the_r_a #royal_birkdale_golf_club
Jon Rahm Faces Open Disqualification Warning After Temper Tantrum at Royal Birkdale Jon Rahm’s fiery temper nearly cost him a spot in the weekend action at The Open after he was issued an official warning for breaching a new players’ code of conduct during the second round at Royal Birkdale. The two-time major champion lost his composure following a loose tee shot on the 15th hole, which left him stranded left of the green. In frustration, Rahm tossed his club into the air before trudging off the course with a bogey. The incident sparked immediate debate among spectators and officials about whether his outburst warranted disciplinary action under Rule 1.2b of the rules. The R&A’s new code of conduct, introduced for the 2026 majors, aims to enforce stricter behavior standards for players. Rahm’s club-tossing moment marked the latest in a series of incidents involving top golfers this year. Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, a LIV Golf star, had previously been docked strokes for a similar outburst during the U.S. Open. Niemann’s frustration over a disastrous septuple-bogey nine at Shinnecock Hills led to a score change from a 12 to an 11, though he avoided penalties for his actions. Other notable incidents included Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who flashed a middle finger at the 15th green during the Masters, and Sergio Garcia, who slammed his driver into the turf before snapping it on a water cooler. Despite their outbursts, both players escaped penalties, highlighting the inconsistent enforcement of the code. As Rahm completed his second round, an R&A official confirmed he had received a formal warning for his behavior. The governing body warned that a repeat incident could result in a two-shot penalty, with a third offense potentially leading to disqualification.#jon_rahm #joaquin_niemann #the_open #royal_birkdale #r_a
Regional Qualifying for The 154th Open: Over 2,000 Golfers Chase Royal Birkdale Dreams More than 2,000 golfers from across Great Britain and Ireland will compete in Regional Qualifying for The 154th Open, with the event taking place at 16 venues starting on Monday, June 22. The competition serves as the first step toward securing a spot in the prestigious tournament at Royal Birkdale, with the final qualifying round scheduled eight days later. The 16 venues include Bearwood Lakes, Caldy, Chart Hills, Craigielaw, Enville, Ferndown, Fulford, Gog Magog, Hesketh, Kilmarnock (Barassie), Lindrick, Minchinhampton, Moor Park, North Hants, Rochester & Cobham Park, and The Island. Fans can follow live updates via The Open’s website starting at 6:30 a.m. on June 22. The field includes a mix of professional and amateur golfers, as well as notable names with prior Open experience. Among the competitors are Robert Rock, Sam Forgan, Robert Dinwiddie, Zane Scotland, and Alex Maguire, all of whom have previously participated in The Open. PGA TOUR players, amateur stars, former Premier League footballers, and content creators will also be in action, with Royal Birkdale as the ultimate goal. Kris Kim, a 2023 R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship winner, has made headlines as the youngest European player to make a PGA TOUR cut at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Kim will compete at Bearwood Lakes, aiming to advance to Final Qualifying. Joining him at Caldy will be Daniel Gaunt, who played in The Open at Turnberry in 2009, and Toby Tree, who made the cut at Royal Birkdale in 2017. Joseph Dodd-Berry, who caddied for his older brother Matthew at The Amateur Championship in 2024, will compete at Caldy with his own Final Qualifying hopes.#the_open #royal_birkdale #bearwood_lakes #caldy #kilmarnock_barassie
