Bryson DeChambeau attempted to throw his weight around at The Open Championship, and the organizers of the championship simply wouldn’t have it.
DeChambeau found himself wrapped in the biggest controversy of the tournament on Friday night when the R&A, the championship organizers, gave him a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie on the fifth hole. The American was seen having a heated discussion with the rules officials, arguing his case.
The American pulled every trick out of the bag to avoid a penalty. He threatened to withdraw from the tournament entirely if he were to receive a penalty, but the R&A called his bluff and took two shots from him anyway.
And, incredibly, it was reported by Bob Harig that DeChambeau also asked to call American President Donald Trump to argue his case, and the R&A’s response showed FIFA exactly how they should have handled their biggest World Cup controversy.
How the R&A responded to Bryson DeChambeau’s Donald Trump request at The Open
The R&A is a principled and traditional organization that takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of golf incredibly seriously. It should come as no surprise that when DeChambeau asked to call Trump during the rules controversy, this request was promptly denied.
A world leader should never be involved in the rulings of any sporting governing body. This should be common sense. We should not have to applaud the R&A for standing their ground, and in a sensible world, DeChambeau would be ridiculed for this absurdity.
But the standard set by FIFA at this year’s World Cup means we must appreciate the integrity the R&A showed at Royal Birkdale.
Was Bryson DeChambeau's penalty unfair?
He was penalised two shots following an incident on the fifth hole…
During the World Cup, the USA’s Folarin Balogun received a red card for serious foul play against Bosnia and Herzegovina. This red card resulted in a suspension for their next game against Belgium.
But describing himself as ““a person who loves sports and was a good athlete” during a press conference after the fact, Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to encourage him to reverse the decision. Infantino obliged, and Balogun played against Belgium to the outrage of the football world.
If FIFA acted sensibly, as the R&A did with DeChambeau, then their biggest controversy of the tournament could have been avoided. Instead, they buckled to the whims of Trump and embarrassed themselves on the world stage.
So with the criticism that FIFA correctly received for their handling of Trump, the R&A deserve immense credit for their actions in the face of DeChambeau’s outburst.
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