Rory McIlroy accuses Bryson DeChambeau of 'holding Open hostage' over rules controversy

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the 18th green during day three of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Rory McIlroy on Saturday accused Bryson DeChambeau of performative attention-seeking for the American’s behaviour following his two-stroke penalty for a rules infraction the previous night.

DeChambeau was penalised for improving his lie, a punishment that took the LIV golfer out of Saturday’s third-round final group after reducing Friday’s round from a four-under-par 66 to a 68 and sending him into a tie for fifth place.

The rules decision from the R&A’s chief referee Grant Moir, the governing body’s executive director for governance came after the official and golfer returned to the fifth hole at Royal Birkdale at the conclusion of DeChambeau’s second round. 

Cameras had picked up the two-time US Open champion trampling over long grass as he prepared to play his shot from greenside rough and he was shown during Sky Sports’ live coverage remonstrating with Moir and another official, presumably that his actions had not been an attempt to improve his lie.

Those protests fell on deaf ears and, speaking to media following his own third round on Saturday, a one-under-par 69 that failed to put pressure on the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy was also unsympathetic to his rival’s arguments.

“I was watching it live. I was up in the players’ lounge watching it with a few other players,” McIlroy said, “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’.

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

“Yeah, I think there's no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing. Again, it's like, 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.” 

McIlroy went further in his criticism of DeChambeau, calling him out for his actions in reportedly threatening to withdraw from the tournament and then going to the practice range to hit balls in the fading light, keeping range staff on site when the course had cleared of spectators and players.

“Late night for everyone. Yeah, look, I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I'm not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it's performative. I think a lot of it's for attention.

“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.

“Look, he's going to say… like, again, I'm not in his mind… but it didn't look good.” Nor did the six-time major winner have much sympathy for DeChambeau having his on-course actions televised, when some golfers do not feature during broadcasts.

Bryson DeChambeau on his way to the 2nd tee during day three of The Open at Royal Birkdale. Pic: Jacob King/PA Wire.

“It's hard. Every shot is on camera. There's a lot of guys that play this week and the shots aren't on camera. So you can say that that's unfair or whatever, or it might happen more than it does.

“It's obviously impossible to police everyone, and that's why it is, for the most part, a self-policing game. I think when there is obvious evidence like there was last night, then obviously that's a different story.” McIlroy was speaking as the later-starting DeChambeau was getting his third round underway and after a 69 that failed to kick-start his own push up the leaderboard ahead of Sunday’s final round.

The Irishman moved to two under after 54 holes and admitted he had probably left himself with too much work to do to even apply pressure on the frontrunners, with Ryan Fox the late-afternoon clubhouse leader on eight under after a record-equalling 62 and Korea’s Si-Woo Kim and American Sam Burns reaching the sae mark midway through their rounds.

“Never say never. I think (Fox’s round) was the (third) 62 of the week. There's been a few of them. If I go out tomorrow and get to double digits, you never know, but yeah, I certainly am not going out tomorrow thinking like I've got a great chance to win.” end