McIlroy backs DeChambeau penalty after Open rules dispute

Rory McIlroy has backed the two-stroke penalty given to Bryson DeChambeau at the Open Championship, saying the R&A had enough evidence to make the call. The sanction left DeChambeau five under par, three shots off the lead, after officials ruled he had inadvertently improved his lie on the fifth hole during round two.

The incident became one of the main talking points at Royal Birkdale after DeChambeau and rules officials held lengthy post-round discussions and returned to the area where the issue occurred. The process delayed the release of Saturday tee times, prompting McIlroy to criticise the disruption and question how DeChambeau handled the situation.

R&A chief executive Mark Darbon described the ruling as clear from a rules standpoint, while also acknowledging there was emotion around the exchange. DeChambeau later indicated on social media that he disagreed with the decision but intended to use it as motivation for the weekend.

Beyond the immediate leaderboard impact, the episode raises a familiar golf question: how should the sport balance self-policing traditions with video evidence, especially when only some players have every shot closely filmed?