Scheffler backs DeChambeau after Open rules penalty

Scottie Scheffler came to Bryson DeChambeau’s defense Sunday at the Open Championship, saying the LIV Golf star is “definitely not a cheater” after a rules penalty that followed DeChambeau’s second round at Royal Birkdale.

DeChambeau was docked two strokes Friday for improving “the area of his intended swing” in long grass on the fifth hole, according to the R&A ruling cited after the round.

Television replays showed DeChambeau stepping through the native area before playing his shot. The footage appeared to show the tall fescue behind his ball being pressed down as he moved around it.

Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance, said in a Friday statement that the rule still applies when a player’s action is accidental. Moir said that was the case with DeChambeau.

Scheffler said he has known DeChambeau for years and has not seen him cheat in competition or in informal contests. He said DeChambeau may have been careless around the ball from the camera angle shown, but said he did not believe DeChambeau acted on purpose.

No comment from DeChambeau on Scheffler’s remarks was included.

TV spotlight adds pressure

Scheffler also said golf has a tricky enforcement problem because some players are shown far more often on broadcasts than others. He agreed with Russell Henley and Sam Burns, who had suggested that heavily televised players can face greater scrutiny.

Scheffler said DeChambeau is the kind of player whose every shot is likely to be on television. He added that distant camera angles can make incidents look different from how they appear to players standing at the ball.

The world No. 1 said the sport may need tighter policing of rules issues, while also acknowledging the balance required when video review becomes part of the process.

Scheffler pointed to Jon Rahm’s two-stroke penalty at the 2020 Memorial as another example. Rahm appeared to chip in for birdie on the 16th hole in the final round, but television replays showed his ball move slightly in the rough before the shot. The penalty cut Rahm’s winning margin from five shots to three.

Scheffler said that kind of ruling shows how hard golf’s rules can be to judge in real time, especially when tiny movements are visible on replay but difficult to see with the naked eye.

Final-round finish

On the course Sunday, Scheffler closed with a 3-under 67 and finished tied for fourth at 7 under.

DeChambeau followed the penalty with a 69 on Saturday and a 72 on Sunday. He finished at 4 under, six shots behind winner Ryan Fox.

Scheffler said players also carry responsibility for policing themselves. He said golfers should stay well clear of rules violations rather than testing the edge of what is allowed, and said the game should return to its traditions while enforcing standards more strictly.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.