Rory McIlroy has called Bryson DeChambeau “performative” after the American contested a controversial penalty decision late into the evening on day two of The Open, writes Alfie Bugg from Royal Birkdale.
The Masters champion did not mince his words when asked about DeChambeau’s two-shot penalty imposed at yesterday’s Open Championship.
The LIV golf star pleaded passionately with rule officials near the iconic clubhouse after the R&A accused the American of “inadvertently improving the area of his intended backswing” on the fifth hole.
The final decision on the ruling took over 70 minutes to confirm which then delayed approval of Saturday tee times.
Speaking to Mersey Sport Live in the mixed zone, the Northern Irishman didn’t hold back as he blasted DeChambeau’s antics.
McIlroy said: “I don’t want to pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I’m not particularly fond of him.
“I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it is for attention, and yet, to hold the tournament hostage like that and have all of us players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look.”
McIlroy watched the incident unfold live from the players’ lounge, and suspected immediately that there could have been foul play.
He said: “I was up watching it with a few other players, and as soon as he made the step towards the ball, we all looked at each other and were like ‘that didn’t seem right’. When I heard he was called in by the rules officials, I think we all knew it was pretty obvious why.
“There’s no doubt he improved the line of his downswing, whether it was careless or intentional, I don’t think it matters. I hope it was careless, but the two-shot penalty was justified for sure.”
DeChambeau finished yesterday -7 under par in second place before the penalty saw his position drop to T5 at -5 before today’s play.
McIlroy started Saturday on -1 and couldn’t make up much ground as he holed a long par putt at 18 to finish at -2 on Saturday. He’ll start on Sunday at least six strokes back behind the current clubhouse lead of -8 set by Ryan Fox after a sensational 62 earlier in the morning.
