Faldo criticises DeChambeau’s behaviour at the Open
Sir Nick Faldo has continued his criticism of Bryson DeChambeau, stating that the US star “wants to be the centre of attention,” following an incident where DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty for inadvertently improving the line of his swing by trampling on long grass, leading to extraordinary scenes as he engaged in a heated argument with a rules official, reports BritPanorama.
DeChambeau’s participation in round three was initially uncertain, but he ultimately played and shot a 69, leaving him four strokes behind the lead. Faldo, a three-time Open champion, supported the officials’ decision to penalise DeChambeau and expressed disapproval of his conduct during the incident.
“You cannot remove anything in your intended swing path,” Faldo remarked. “It was totally inadvertent, but it has nothing to do with that; it has nothing to do with Bryson, but he is a golfer that has put his foot down and moved the grass. It is in the rule book. The R&A handled it beautifully. Bottom line – job done. ‘Sorry mate, you’ve got a two-shot penalty’,” he told Sky Sports.
Faldo described DeChambeau’s reaction to the rules official as “losing the plot for a couple of minutes,” noting, “The video is pretty factual.” Additionally, Faldo highlighted that DeChambeau’s desire for attention was apparent, emphasizing that no player is bigger than the game. “Jack [Nicklaus], Arnold [Palmer] have left the arena and golf has gone on. Tiger [Woods] has gone quiet, golf has gone on,” he said. “If he disappeared tomorrow, we’ll say that was tough, but we will go on.”
Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley echoed Faldo’s sentiments, stating that DeChambeau was “blase with the rules,” underscoring the importance of maintaining the line of swing, particularly in long grass. McGinley remarked, “When you do that you are inviting comment, inviting rules officials to get involved and, rightly so, they did.” He also expressed disappointment that the incident played out so publicly, noting that in many cases, such discussions would occur behind closed doors.
The controversy surrounding DeChambeau escalated as Rory McIlroy, who watched the incident unfold live, remarked, “I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.” McIlroy further described the atmosphere among the players as they watched DeChambeau’s interactions with the rules officials, evidencing a consensus that DeChambeau had indeed improved his line of backswing. “Whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified for sure,” he added.
This incident not only spotlights the complexities of golf’s rules but also illustrates how individual behaviour can influence perceptions of professionalism within the sport. As the competition unfolds, it remains to be seen how DeChambeau will navigate the response from both officials and fellow competitors alike.
