Bryson DeChambeau Threatened To Call Trump Amid Penalty Dispute At Open Championship

Bryson DeChambeau‘s turbulent week at the Open Championship took an unexpected political twist after he was reported to have invoked President Donald Trump’s name while contesting a rules penalty with tournament officials at Royal Birkdale.

The controversy stems from a two-stroke penalty issued during Friday’s second round, after officials determined DeChambeau had flattened down long grass behind his ball on the fifth hole, effectively improving his stance for the shot. The American reacted with fury, at one point walking the R&A’s head of governance and a senior referee back to the spot where the infraction occurred to plead his case.

When the ruling body wouldn’t budge, chief executive Mark Darbon was pulled into the dispute back at the scoring area. It was during that exchange that DeChambeau suggested he might call Trump if officials refused to reverse the call. No evidence has emerged that such a call ever happened, and Darbon later told the BBC plainly: “No, I have not received a call from President Trump.”

The connection between the two men isn’t far-fetched. DeChambeau sits on Trump’s council for sports, fitness and nutrition, has played rounds of golf with him, and visited the White House as recently as May. He’d previously praised Trump as someone who could “inspire” Team USA ahead of last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where the two shared a friendly moment.

The penalty dropped DeChambeau out of second place, and his frustration didn’t end there — after his third round Saturday, he marched straight to Darbon’s office demanding to see his second-round scorecard, a request the R&A chief declined.

Rory McIlroy weighed in publicly, backing officials and saying the penalty was fully justified.

DeChambeau avoided reporters for the remainder of the tournament, ultimately closing with a tied-14th finish, several shots adrift of eventual champion Ryan Fox. It stood as his strongest major result of the year despite the drama surrounding it.

He hasn’t left the UK empty-handed in terms of golf plans, teeing it up this week at LIV Golf’s event at the JCB Golf and Country Club.