Scottie Scheffler stepped forward to back Bryson DeChambeau during the recent drama surrounding the rules at The Open, emphatically stating that the two‑time U.S. Open champion is "not a cheater." The controversy erupted at Royal Birkdale, where DeChambeau was on the brink of sharing the halfway lead before a two‑stroke penalty was imposed after the second round. The penalty stemmed from a ruling that DeChambeau had altered the line of his backswing while his club was in the long grass on the par‑four fifth hole, turning what should have been a bogey into a triple‑bogey seven.
The incident led to a protracted discussion with officials that stretched late into Friday evening. Rumors quickly circulated that DeChambeau might withdraw in protest, but the American golfer dismissed those claims.
He declined media interviews after each round, yet posted on social media that the situation actually "fired him up" to keep competing. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy criticized DeChambeau’s conduct, labeling it as "performative" because of the lengthy post‑round discussion and a late‑night practice session on the range. The R&A, however, concluded that DeChambeau’s actions were unintentional.
When asked about the matter, Scheffler, who finished tied for fourth, defended his friend and fellow competitor. "I've known Bryson for a long time and he's a lot of things, but definitely not a cheater," Scheffler told reporters.
"In all the times we’ve played putting contests, chipping contests, or just a casual round of amateur golf, I’ve never seen him do anything suspicious." He added, "From the camera angle you saw, maybe he was a touch careless around his ball, but I don’t think there was any intent to break the rules." Scheffler initially avoided commenting on the incident after the third round, but on the final day he offered broader thoughts on how the sport enforces its regulations. "I think we might need to be a little stricter in the way we police the players," Scheffler said.
"It’s a delicate balance because guys like Bryson have every shot televised. When you watch from a far‑away camera, things can look different than they do up close. At times, players might push the boundaries a bit further than they should." He continued, "We should probably return to the traditions of the game and consider tighter oversight." Scheffler was aiming to become the first back‑to‑back Open champion since Padraig Harrington.
He briefly found himself within a shot of the lead on the final day but faltered with a bogey on the last hole, ultimately finishing three strokes behind Ryan Fox. Reflecting on his performance, Scheffler said, "Today was a great effort.
I felt like I was doing the right things out there and gave myself a lot of looks. It just wasn’t my week." He described specific moments: "I got a good break on 17, but off the tee I should have been in the fairway. That hurts. My ball on 13 went into a hole – not my best tee shot, but I needed to be aggressive." He noted, "I saw some good stuff happening with guys who hit the ball over there the last few days, and it didn’t happen for me today.
Those little bounces add up. My ball on 14 landed in the pot bunker after a fairway lie. Little things like that over the week tend to accumulate." Overall, Scheffler felt he competed well, staying patient and striking the ball nicely over four days.
"Maybe yesterday was the only day I didn’t strike it as well as I’d like," he admitted. Looking ahead, the next PGA Tour stop is the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, kicking off Thursday with early coverage on Sky Sports+ before moving to Sky Sports Golf at 7 p.m.
The 3M Open is part of a triple‑header of live golf on Sky Sports, which also includes the ISPS Handa Senior Open and the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. The women’s major season will conclude with the AIG Women’s Open from July 30‑August 2, also broadcast on Sky Sports Golf. Viewers can subscribe to Sky Sports or stream without a contract to follow the action.