Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty at the Open Championship has reignited comparisons to Wyndham Clark’s controversial video at last month’s U.S. Open. The R&A penalized DeChambeau on the fifth hole during Friday’s second round at Royal Birkdale after rules officials deemed he had stepped down thick fescue around his ball in the rough before playing his shot, improving his lie under Rule 8.1.
Immediately, golf fans began recirculating a video of Wyndham Clark from the final round of the U.S. Open, pointing to similar footwork in the fescue that some argued should have drawn the same scrutiny. Clark was not penalized for the incident.
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Many fans believed the USGA was more lenient on Clark at the U.S. Open for a similar move that could have improved his swing path, while the R&A came down harder on DeChambeau in a nearly identical situation at the Open Championship.
DeChambeau’s penalty came after an unusual process. Officials met with him following his round, then returned to the fifth hole with him before finalizing the ruling. The review sparked mixed reactions online, with many fans arguing the available footage didn’t clearly prove a violation. Despite the penalty, DeChambeau remains tied for sixth and in contention heading into the weekend.
