Bryson DeChambeau has found himself at the center of a fresh controversy at The Open, with several news outlets reporting that he allegedly considered involving former U.S. President Donald Trump in the dispute over a rules penalty. The two‑time major champion received a two‑stroke penalty late on Friday night after R&A officials reviewed video footage and concluded that he had altered the condition of his backswing area by flattening a patch of long grass on the fifth hole at Royal Birkdale. This decision dropped DeChambeau from a position just one shot off the lead to a tie for fifth place, three strokes behind the leader.
According to multiple reports, during lengthy negotiations with the R&A about the penalty, DeChambeau is said to have threatened to contact President Trump. The suggestion was that he might ask the former president to intervene, much as Trump previously tried to influence a disciplinary decision in world soccer. In that earlier incident, Trump asked FIFA to review a red‑card decision involving U.S. forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup; the resulting one‑match ban was eventually suspended.
Observers noted the parallel and wondered whether DeChambeau was seeking a similar high‑profile rescue. The reports do not confirm that any call was actually placed, and it remains unclear whether DeChambeau ever reached out to Trump privately. On Saturday, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon was asked by the press whether the president had been contacted. Darbon responded to BBC Sport, "No, I have not received a call from President Trump.
Irrespective of which player this affected, it is the same decision – from a rules perspective it was clear‑cut." This statement suggests that, at least officially, the R&A did not entertain any political involvement in the matter. DeChambeau’s relationship with Trump adds another layer to the story.
The golfer serves on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, has visited the White House as recently as May, and has been photographed playing golf alongside Trump. Those connections have fueled speculation that he might feel comfortable reaching out to the former commander‑in‑chief for assistance in a sporting dispute. Beyond the alleged Trump angle, the incident itself raises questions about the enforcement of the Rules of Golf at a major championship.
The penalty stemmed from DeChambeau’s decision to smooth a strip of grass that lay directly behind his ball at the fifth tee. The R&A argued that this action gave him an unfair advantage by improving the lie of the ball for his backswing.
DeChambeau, for his part, argued that the grass was already excessively long and that his actions were merely a maintenance effort, not a deliberate attempt to cheat. The controversy also highlighted DeChambeau’s interactions with tournament officials after the third round. Sky Sports News reported that the American visited Mark Darbon in the championship office on Saturday, seeking to retrieve his scorecard from the previous day.
The request was denied, and the R&A has not yet commented on the matter. This episode added tension to an already charged atmosphere, as players, volunteers, and media personnel were forced to wait while the dispute unfolded. Despite the drama, DeChambeau managed to finish the tournament on a relatively positive note.
He avoided what some commentators dubbed the "Bryson Slam"—the unlikely scenario of missing all four majors in a single season—by making the cut and ultimately finishing tied for 14th, six strokes behind the champion, Ryan Fox. The result ended a streak of three consecutive missed cuts in major championships and offered a modest redemption after a turbulent week. DeChambeau’s media strategy during the event has been notably reticent.
He declined to speak to waiting reporters for the eighth consecutive major round, mirroring his silence after missed cuts at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open earlier in the year. Instead, he turned to social media, posting on Instagram, "A lot of ups and downs this week, to say the least. But I'm proud of the way I fought through it.
Thank you to all my supporters for carrying me through. Onwards and upwards from here. Congratulations to Ryan Fox on an incredible win!" The reactions from fellow players have been mixed.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler publicly defended DeChambeau, emphasizing that the American is "not a cheater" and that the penalty was a straightforward application of the rules. In contrast, Rory McIlroy was far more critical, labeling the episode as "performative" and suggesting that DeChambeau was seeking attention. McIlroy said, "I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson.
I'm not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it's performative. I think a lot of it's for attention. 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." Looking ahead, DeChambeau is slated to compete in the LIV Golf League event in England, beginning at JCB Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
However, he is not listed for any pre‑tournament media obligations, suggesting he may continue to limit his public interactions for the time being. The episode underscores how high‑profile athletes can become entangled in broader political narratives, especially when personal connections to powerful figures exist.
While the R&A maintains that the rules are applied uniformly and without external influence, the very suggestion that a golfer might seek presidential intervention highlights the growing intersection of sport, media, and politics. Whether DeChambeau’s alleged outreach to Trump was a genuine attempt at advocacy or merely a rhetorical flourish remains uncertain, but the incident has already sparked a broader conversation about the appropriate boundaries between athletes, governing bodies, and political leaders.