DeChambeau to continue at Open after two-stroke penalty dispute

Bryson DeChambeau will compete in the third round of the Open Championship after a two-stroke penalty for improving the condition of his swing line in the rough on the fifth hole. The penalty dropped him from second place, one stroke behind leader Lucas Herbert, to a tie for fifth.

The R&A officials, including executive director Grant Moir and chief executive Mark Darbon, reviewed the incident after DeChambeau signed his scorecard. Moir said the penalty applied because the player moved natural grass that could affect the swing, even though the action was accidental. "Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing," Moir stated.

DeChambeau posted on social media that he was "disappointed with the ruling" but would move forward, adding that it "fires me up" for the weekend. He later told reporters he would practice and intended to tee up on Saturday.

The decision left Lucas Herbert with a one-stroke lead after missing a short putt, while other contenders such as Sam Burns, Kim Si-woo and Bob MacIntyre remain in contention. Several high-profile players, including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Spieth, have already missed the cut.