Rory McIlroy offered his strongest comments yet on Bryson DeChambeau following Friday’s controversial rules incident at the 154th Open Championship. After DeChambeau was assessed a two-shot penalty by the R&A for improving the area of his intended swing during the second round at Royal Birkdale, McIlroy said he believed the decision was fully justified.
The penalty dropped DeChambeau from seven under to five under, moving him from one shot off the lead to three back heading into the weekend. The ruling also delayed the release of Saturday’s tee times while DeChambeau and R&A officials reviewed the incident on the fifth hole. Speaking after his third round, McIlroy criticized both the rules violation and the lengthy aftermath, saying the situation affected players, volunteers and tournament operations.
Rory McIlroy Says Bryson DeChambeau’s Penalty Was Justified
McIlroy said he watched the incident unfold live from the players’ lounge and immediately felt something was wrong.
“So I was watching it live. I was up in the players lounge watching it with a few other players. And as soon as he made the step into the ball, we all sort of looked at each other and were like, that didn’t seem right.”
When DeChambeau was later called in by rules officials, McIlroy said the reason appeared obvious.
“Then when I heard that he was called in by the rules officials, I think we all… it was pretty obvious for why.”
The four-time major champion backed the R&A’s decision to assess a two-shot penalty.
“I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing.”
McIlroy added that intent was not the deciding factor in his view.
“Whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters. Hopefully it was careless. But I think the two-shot penalty was justified for sure.”
Asked whether he believed DeChambeau knew what he was doing, McIlroy declined to speculate.
“Look, he’s going to say… again, I’m not in his mind… but it didn’t look good.”
He also acknowledged the challenge officials face in policing every player.
“It’s obviously impossible to police everyone, and that’s why it is, for the most part, a self-policing game. But I think when there is obvious evidence, like there was last night, then obviously that’s a different story.”
Rory McIlroy Criticizes Bryson DeChambeau’s Post-Round Actions
GettyBryson DeChambeau of the United States and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland
McIlroy was equally critical of what happened after DeChambeau was informed of the penalty.
Following his second round, DeChambeau returned to the fifth hole with R&A officials to review the incident before eventually accepting the ruling. The process delayed the release of Saturday’s tee times, prompting several players to express frustration.
McIlroy said the extended discussions reflected poorly on the situation.
“Yeah, I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I’m not particularly fond of him.”
He continued by questioning DeChambeau’s conduct during the review.
“I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.”
McIlroy added that the delay impacted more than just the players.
“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.”
The R&A previously explained that DeChambeau was penalized for “inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing” under Rule 8.1, noting that the rule applies even when the action is accidental. DeChambeau disagreed with the decision but accepted the penalty, which changed his second-round score from 66 to 68.
The exchange also continued a rivalry that has developed over recent years. McIlroy and DeChambeau have battled in multiple major championships, including the 2024 U.S. Open, won by DeChambeau, and the 2025 Masters, where McIlroy finished ahead. Their differing views on LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have also contributed to a relationship that remains one of the sport’s most closely watched.
Rory McIlroy Says Bryson DeChambeau ‘Held the Tournament Hostage’ at The Open