Golf Fans Urge Trump to Reverse DeChambeau's 2-Stroke Open Penalty

Q: Can Bryson DeChambeau channel his anger over the penalty into a historic Open Championship comeback?

Yes — and if he does, it would be one of the defining storylines of this Open. DeChambeau is only three shots behind Lucas Herbert after the two-stroke penalty changed his second-round 66 to a 68 and dropped him from solo second to tied fifth. In major championship terms, that deficit is very manageable. The harder part is emotional control, not scoreboard math. There is evidence he can use the anger productively. DeChambeau publicly said the ruling “fires me up” and then went to the range rather than leaving the tournament, a sign he had shifted from protest to preparation. His play at Royal Birkdale also supports the idea of a charge: before the penalty, he had handled the wind well and produced his best major golf of 2026. History shows players can recover from rulings and still contend. Dustin Johnson won the 2016 U.S. Open despite a penalty controversy, and Lexi Thompson nearly won the 2017 ANA Inspiration after a four-shot penalty. Those examples do not guarantee anything, but they show that a disputed ruling does not have to end a major bid. Whether it becomes “historic” depends on context more than the size of the comeback. Three shots is not an enormous gap, but winning after a late, highly publicized rules penalty at The Open would give it unusual weight. If DeChambeau turns the frustration into disciplined golf over the weekend, he remains a legitimate threat for the Claret Jug.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 17

Two hours after Bryson DeChambeau signed for a 66, the R&A added a two-stroke penalty, dropping him from 7-under to 5-under and from solo second to three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.
Video from the fifth hole showed DeChambeau taking practice swings in thick fescue, and officials ruled he improved the area of his intended backswing under Rule 8.1, which does not require intent.
DeChambeau angrily disputed the decision and appeared to hint he might skip Saturday's third round, though his agent later said no decision had been made and he practiced Friday evening.
Trump entered the story because of his public friendship with DeChambeau, prompting playful social-media calls for him to contact the R&A despite having no authority over the Open's rules process.
The chatter also echoed Trump's recent request that FIFA review Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card, but any DeChambeau appeal would have to go through the R&A.