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Donald Trump breaks silence on Bryson DeChambeau’s Open penalty

U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed what he really thought of the controversial two-shot penalty after Bryson DeChambeau reportedly wanted him to weigh in at Royal Birkdale.

Trump has finally given his verdict on the controversial two-shot penalty that overshadowed Bryson DeChambeau’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, admitting he believed the ruling against the American was a “tough call”.




DeChambeau, 32, found himself at the center of one of The Open’s biggest controversies last Friday after officials penalized him two strokes after his second round.

The LIV Golf star was deemed to have inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing while preparing to hit his ball from the deep rough on the par-4 5th.

What followed was a lengthy and increasingly heated discussion over the ruling, with DeChambeau refusing to simply accept the penalty and reportedly seeking outside assistance from one of his most influential friends.

According to golf reporter Geoff Shackelford, sources familiar with the marathon post-round discussions said DeChambeau wanted Trump to become involved as he continued to argue his case.

Shackelford reported that DeChambeau “was pleading his case and wanted the President of the United States to weigh in.”

The discussions between R&A officials and DeChambeau lasted well over an hour before a final decision of two-shot penalty under Rule 8.1 was reached.

R&A officials allowed DeChambeau to return to the 5th hole and examine the incident with them in the tall fescue rough.

The two-time U.S. Open champion was joined by R&A Executive Director of Governance Grant Moir and DP World Tour referee Mark Litton as they reviewed what had happened.

Despite the extended process, the outcome remained of a two-shot penalty.

Now a week later, President Trump has broken his silence on the controversy.

Trump believes the two-shot penalty for DeChambeau was a “tough call”.




Trump gives his verdict on DeChambeau controversy

President Trump was asked by a Fox News reporter about his involvement in recent sporting disputes and whether his relationship with high-profile athletes, including speaking to Tiger Woods immediately after his March DUI arrest, could see him act as a “fixer” when controversies arise.

Trump rejected that characterisation.

“Well, it’s not a fix. You mean being a judge?” Trump replied.

He then addressed the DeChambeau incident directly.

“You know, I thought the Bryson call was a tough call,” Trump said.

Trump explained that he had watched the incident and had noticed plenty of players searching for golf balls at Royal Birkdale.

“I saw him walking around. I see a lot of people there walking around looking for their ball in weeds. I’ve been watching that. So, I thought it was a tough call against him.”

Watch Trump’s comments in full here:




DeChambeau had reportedly wanted him to become involved while the dispute was still being debated with R&A officials.

However, there was ultimately no presidential intervention.

R&A chief executive Mark Darbon later confirmed that Trump had never contacted the governing body regarding DeChambeau’s two-shot penalty

R&A stands by ‘clear-cut’ ruling

While Trump believes the penalty was a “tough call”, the R&A has remained unequivocal about its handling of the incident.

Darbon described the ruling as “clear-cut” from a rules perspective, stressing that the regulations had to be applied consistently regardless of the player involved.

That position meant DeChambeau’s lengthy challenge ultimately came to nothing.

The two-shot penalty had immediate consequences for his position in the championship. Rather than entering the weekend just one shot behind the 36-hole leader, Lucas Herbert, DeChambeau found himself three shots off the pace after the penalty was applied.

His position then deteriorated further over the final two rounds as his challenge for the Claret Jug faded.

DeChambeau finished the week 4-under par in a tie for 14th, six shots behind eventual champion Ryan Fox.

The American, did however, break a run of three straight missed cuts in the majors.




Trump compares DeChambeau case with World Cup controversy

Trump also used the DeChambeau discussion to revisit another recent sporting controversy in which he intervened on behalf of an American athlete.

The President pointed to his involvement in the dispute surrounding a red card issued to U.S. Men’s National Team star Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.

Trump defended his decision to contact FIFA president Gianni Infantino, arguing that he had simply asked for the decision to be reviewed.

“I thought the red card was a very tough call, and it worked out brilliantly,” Trump said.

He suggested the consequences could have been significant had the player been suspended and the United States subsequently lost.

“Look, supposing that they didn’t let him play and we lost, everyone would have been angry, right?”

Trump argued that the eventual outcome meant the controversy worked out well.

“The way it was that they lost with their best player, now everyone’s happy, including Belgium.”

He then acknowledged that Belgium subsequently suffered another defeat.

“Of course, they lost their next game, so they’re not that happy either, but it worked out great,” Trump continued.

Trump also praised Infantino for the way that situation was ultimately handled.

“Gianni did a good job in making that call. All I did, I asked for a review. I thought that call was not a good call.”

The comparison helps explain Trump’s view of his role in sporting controversies.

He rejected the idea that he should be regarded as someone who “fixes” decisions, instead framing his involvement as asking for questionable calls to be reconsidered.

In DeChambeau’s case, though, no such request was made directly to the R&A.




Scheffler defends DeChambeau as McIlroy takes aim

The Royal Birkdale controversy also divided opinion among DeChambeau’s fellow professionals.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, a Ryder Cup teammate of DeChambeau, defended the American against suggestions that the incident should affect his reputation.

Scheffler insisted that DeChambeau was “not a cheater”.

Rory McIlroy, however, offered a much more critical assessment of both the incident and DeChambeau’s reaction.

McIlroy revealed that he had watched the episode unfold from the players’ lounge alongside several other competitors.

According to McIlroy, there was immediate concern among those watching when DeChambeau appeared to move towards the ball.

“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 we were like, ‘That didn’t seem right’,” McIlroy said after his third round.




The Northern Irishman said the subsequent involvement of the rules officials was therefore unsurprising.

“Then when I heard that he was called in by the rules officials, it was pretty obvious for why.”

McIlroy’s criticism went further than the actual rules decision, however.

“I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it is for attention,” McIlroy said.

“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.”

For a rules dispute that began in a patch of deep rough a week ago at Royal Birkdale, and with Trump now finally breaking his silence on the controversy, the dispute has certainly travelled a long way.



Article originally appeared on: Golfmagic.com

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