DeChambeau accused of threatening to call Trump in row over Open penalty

Bryson DeChambeau has been accused of threatening to call Donald Trump during a row with senior R&A officials over his two-stroke penalty.

Published 20 July 2026 453 words
SPORT B2
DeChambeau accused of threatening to call Trump in row over Open penalty

Golfer Bryson DeChambeau has reportedly threatened to call Donald Trump during a heated discussion with officials from The R&A, golf's governing body. This happened on Friday after DeChambeau received a penalty of two strokes during The Open.

The incident is the latest unusual event in what has become the main story of the 2026 Open. DeChambeau was penalised two strokes for improving his swing area. He was standing on long grass behind his ball on the fifth hole during the second round at Royal Birkdale. The 32-year-old golfer strongly argued his case. He even insisted on returning to the hole with The R&A’s head of governance and a senior referee.

When they returned to the scoring area, The R&A officials did not change their decision. The chief executive of The R&A, Mark Darbon, then joined the conversation. During this discussion, it is understood that DeChambeau said he would phone Trump if the situation was not resolved in his favour. There is no proof that DeChambeau actually made the call. DeChambeau did not speak to the main media during The Open. The R&A has not commented on the claim about Trump, which was first reported by the Quadrilateral website.

Donald Trump is known to speak regularly with several famous golfers. He had a friendly conversation with DeChambeau at the Ryder Cup last year. DeChambeau had previously said that Trump would inspire the US team.

The penalty given to DeChambeau, which fellow golfer Rory McIlroy later said was completely correct, dropped him from second place. After playing on Saturday, DeChambeau went directly to Darbon’s office. He asked to see his scorecard from the second round. The R&A chief executive politely refused this unusual request.

DeChambeau has stayed in the UK to compete in a LIV Golf event this week. His performance at The Open, finishing tied for 14th, was his best result in a major tournament in 2026. Representatives for DeChambeau have been contacted for a comment.

Vocabulary

governing body — an organisation that has the authority to make rules and control a particular sport or activity.
penalised — given a punishment or disadvantage for breaking a rule.
argued his case — presented his reasons and evidence to try and prove his point or defend his actions.
scoring area — the place on a golf course where players register their scores after a round.
resolved — found a solution to a problem or disagreement.
high-profile — famous and attracting a lot of public attention.
scorecard — a card used to record the scores of each hole played in a golf match.
representatives — people who officially speak or act for somebody else, such as an athlete or a company.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why was Bryson DeChambeau given a penalty during The Open?
  2. What unusual threat did DeChambeau allegedly make to the R&A officials?
  3. How did DeChambeau's performance at The Open compare to his other major tournaments in 2026?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

Read the original article