Trump Calls DeChambeau's 2-Stroke Open Penalty a Tough Call

Q: Why did Trump call DeChambeau’s two-stroke Open penalty a tough call, and would a lesser-known player have been judged the same way?

Trump called it a “tough call” because, in his view, DeChambeau was doing what many players do in heavy rough: walking around and searching for a ball in difficult grass. Trump said he had watched players doing that at Royal Birkdale and felt the ruling was harsh. DeChambeau was penalized under Rule 8.1a after the R&A determined that, even if accidental, he had improved the area of his intended swing by flattening grass with his feet. On the rules, the R&A’s position was firm: intent did not matter. Officials reviewed the video, took DeChambeau back to the fifth hole, and still judged the case “clear-cut.” Chief executive Mark Darbon and rules staff said the two-stroke penalty had to stand because the lie had been improved, even inadvertently. By that standard, the same ruling should apply to any player. Whether a lesser-known player would have been judged the same way is harder to answer cleanly. Formally, yes: the rule is supposed to be applied equally. In practice, the controversy exposed a long-running issue in golf — famous players draw far more camera coverage, replay analysis and social-media scrutiny. That makes it more likely a possible breach is spotted and reviewed. Some commentators argued DeChambeau may have been a victim of that microscope; others argued the video made the breach obvious regardless of who the player was. So the fairest answer is that the rule itself is meant to be neutral, but the chances of an incident being detected are not always equal.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 25

Trump said in the Oval Office that Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty at The Open was a “tough call,” after reports the LIV Golf player wanted to seek his help.
The penalty stemmed from DeChambeau’s second round, when officials ruled he improved his lie by flattening rough behind his ball on the fifth hole; his post-round appeal in the fescue failed.
Trump said he did not act in the golf case, but defended his earlier push for a FIFA review that lifted Folarin Balogun’s red card before the USMNT’s 4-1 loss to Belgium.
DeChambeau stayed in contention until a triple-bogey on the 11th hole Sunday, then finished 4 under and tied for 14th at the only major where he made the cut this season.