Tranlate this title Nick Faldo backs DeChambeau penalty decision: No player is bigger than the game in spanish

Bryson DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

He was penalized by the R&A after it was determined that he had illegally stepped on tall grass on the fifth hole to ease his swing.

DeChambeau sent his ball into the thick rough (fescue), and video footage showed that he repeatedly stepped on the grass behind the ball before playing his shot. By doing so, he violated Rule 8.1, which prohibits a player from improving the conditions affecting the stroke by moving, bending or pressing down natural objects, including grass.

The penalty significantly affected his result. DeChambeau initially finished the fifth hole with a bogey (+1), but after the round the officials changed his score to a triple-bogey (+3) due to a penalty. As a result, his second-round total was changed from 66 to 68, dropping him from second place to a tie for fifth.

The incident sparked a major debate on the course. Immediately after the round ended, the officials stopped DeChambeau and sent him back to the fifth hole to review the situation. The American argued heatedly with officials for about 15 minutes, waving his club and trying to explain that he was just taking his stance, but the officials did not change their decision.

Sir Nick Faldo reacts

Among the many important figures who reacted to the situation was Sir Nick Faldo, who had been involved in a debate the day before about Bryson DeChambeau’s strategy.

This time, the experienced golfer had a stronger reaction, insisting that the officials’ decision was correct and that DeChambeau had indeed made an action he should not have taken.

“This is him behind the ball, lining it up. You see that big clump. Look at the angle of that grass now. He just touched it, and he’s very close to it there [when he’s stood behind the ball]. Watch his left foot when he steps back in to address the ball. Wallop. So now that has been crushed considerably,” he said.

“And I think the R&A did a great job, because you cannot bend or move anything in your intended swing path. It’s got nothing to do with Bryson, this is a golfer, he has put his foot down, he has moved the grass, and that simply is our rule book. And I think the R&A handled it beautifully. For me, bottom line, job done. Sorry mate, you got a two-shot [penalty].”

The 69-year-old pointed out that Bryson DeChambeau is a golfer who strives to be the centre of attention, but he notes that the American now has to deal with a lot of emotions that could pose an additional obstacle for him in the rest of the tournament.

The 33-year-old American golfer is known as a controversial figure who often sparks waves of reactions with his statements, but also makes decisions that are sometimes the subject of debate.

However, it is precisely this approach that attracts a lot of public attention, which is why it is not surprising that Bryson is so popular on social media.

“That’s Bryson, he wants to be the centre of attention on everything. I always thought you want to come into a major and really keep your mind and body on a lovely, even zen. And for him to be having to deal with all this emotion, whether it fires him up or not, we will see, but I’ve got to believe it’s another hurdle to climb,” he said.

Faldo said that no player is bigger than the sport itself and that golf would continue to be played regardless of which big names are no longer part of the competitive scene. He pointed out that even legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer ended their professional careers, but golf lived on.

Sir Nick Faldo added that the same is true for Tiger Woods, who has been less present in recent years, stressing that every player should appreciate the opportunity to compete at the highest level because the sport will continue to exist after they are gone. According to him, even if DeChambeau were to leave professional golf tomorrow, the public would accept it as a difficult moment, but the game would go on.

The LIV golfer enters every tournament as one of the important figures, and once again caused numerous reactions from the public.

Because of this, it will be interesting to follow his progress and see how much he can achieve in this tournament. However, Bryson DeChambeau’s future remains in question after LIV Golf confirmed that PIF will stop investing in the project after the end of the season.

A return to the PGA Tour is one option being mentioned.