BRYSON

I watched it as it happened and thought it looked dodgy to say the least, you know you have to be very careful in those situations and he clearly wasn't

Has he been penalised?

Apparently a viewer sent in a clip and questioned the player’s actions. The R&A then launched an investigation and, after rejecting Bryson’s explanation, effectively branded him a liar in front of the world and hit him with a two‑shot penalty. If that is now considered a two‑shot penalty, then we’re about to see dozens of identical “infringements” every single day from players who stand behind the ball and step back in through any length of rough.

At least in football, VAR is handled by trained professionals who are selected for the role, monitored, and remunerated appropriately. In this case, who can say the person reviewing the footage didn’t have a financial interest in the outcome or Bryson’s performance? The ball couldn’t even be seen — so how can anyone claim with certainty that he improved the lie or altered the vegetation in a way that breached the rules? The rough was long, he was clearly careful around the ball, and any trampling was along his body line rather than the club path.

It’s one of the most pathetic decisions I’ve ever seen: questioning a player’s integrity through a system that itself lacks integrity. They’ve created a precedent that is impossible to enforce consistently and have publicly damaged a player’s reputation based on guesswork.

At this point, I almost hope he either walks away and forces real accountability onto the small‑minded people who made this decision, or he stays, plays, and absolutely laps them, regardless of any bet I’ve got riding on it.

Was watching live as this played out and "Radar" (Sky on course commentator) says several times that Bryson would have to play out sideways. He clearly tramples on the long grass behind his ball, and intended backswing, not once but several times. He then plays out directly at the pin.

Cool Hand sounds like a non golfer and talking complete B*******.

Clear infringement IMO. Laura Davies and Wayne Riley clearly disagreed.

At this point, I almost hope he either walks away and forces real accountability onto the small‑minded people who made this decision, or he stays, plays, and absolutely laps them, regardless of any bet I’ve got riding on it.

Seems our (man) Bryson was actually considering contacting Trump to make an intervention for him.!!

  Bryson DeChambeau reportedly wanted to involve US president Donald Trump after controversially being handed a two-shot penalty at The Open.

The two-time major winner was handed the penalty late on Friday night after officials reviewed footage and decided he had improved the area of his backswing by flattening down some long grass on Royal Birkdale’s fifth hole.

Respected American journalist Geoff Shackelford claimed DeChambeau requested to speak to Trump during lengthy discussions with the R&A regarding the penalty, which dropped him from second place and two off the lead on Friday.
                           FFS.

Now every shot is videoed you have to be extra careful. Not like the old days!