R&A chief denies Trump call over DeChambeau's Open penalty

Bryson DeChambeau was handed a two-shot penalty during the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after officials ruled he had improved his lie. The R&A's chief executive, Mark Darbon, was subsequently asked whether US President Donald Trump had intervened in the case, and said no such call had taken place.

The penalty was applied on the par-4 fifth hole, where DeChambeau was judged to have trampled long grass near his ball to improve his conditions. Following a lengthy and heated discussion with rules officials, his score for the round was adjusted from 66 to 68, leaving him two shots behind surprise leader Lucas Herbert.

What happened

• DeChambeau was penalised two shots after his second round at Royal Birkdale
• Officials ruled he had improved his lie on the par-4 fifth hole
• His round was changed from 66 to 68, dropping him two behind leader Lucas Herbert
• The two-time US Open champion was visibly angered by the decision
• He confirmed on social media late on Friday that he would continue in the tournament

Darbon, speaking to the BBC, laughed off the suggestion of presidential involvement, saying: "No, I have not received a call from President Trump and we'll see what happens from here." Asked to clarify what was said during the exchange with DeChambeau, he stayed guarded but acknowledged the temperature in the room: "It's fair to say there was some emotion around that and we'll keep some aspects of that discussion private." He added that he empathised with a player in contention for what he called golf's original major.

Why Trump's name came up

The question followed a separate controversy earlier in the summer, when United States striker Folarin Balogun was sent off in a World Cup round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and subsequently banned. The suspension was later revoked after Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for the decision to be reviewed, a sequence that drew widespread criticism, including from UEFA.

With that episode fresh in mind, Darbon's questioner wanted to know whether similar pressure had been applied over a major championship ruling. DeChambeau's response to the penalty had also raised doubts about whether he would tee off again on Saturday, but he moved to end that uncertainty by posting on social media that the incident had only sharpened his motivation. Attention now returns to the leaderboard, where DeChambeau resumes two strokes adrift with the Claret Jug still in reach.