DeChambeau penalized 2 shots at
British Open after Herbert and Burns shoot 62s in wild 2nd round
[July 18, 2026]
By DOUG FERGUSON
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — The British Open came to life Friday when
Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns took their place in history by tying the
major championship record with 62s, and Bryson DeChambeau was
penalized two shots after his round for inadvertently improving the
path of his swing.
In the midst of all the late drama was Jon Rahm getting an official
conduct warning for throwing his club after a bad tee shot.
The real emotion came in the twilight hours with no spectators
around — DeChambeau standing in high grass on the fifth hole with
two rules officials, pleading his case and ultimately losing the
argument. His 4-under 66 became a 68, and he went from one shot
behind Herbert to three behind. And then he went to the range until
the only light came from the video boards.
DeChambeau has turned down media at the majors dating to his missed
cut at the Masters in April. Just after midnight local time, he
posted on X: “Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree
with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend.
Let’s get it.”
Herbert, who was at 8-under 132, was slightly disappointed with his
record-tying round because he missed a 5-foot par putt that would
have given him a 61.
“Very, very proud to put my name on that list of guys that have shot
62 in a major championship. So it’s kind of holding two emotions
there at the same time,” Herbert said. “It’s a pretty good problem
to have, too, to be disappointed you shot 62.”
Burns didn't even know he tied a record when he holed a bunker shot
on the 18th for his third straight birdie, just 22 minutes after
Herbert shot his 62.
But there was no mistaking the frustration of DeChambeau, who tends
to draw attention no matter what he does. He has been more visible
on his successful YouTube channel than in the majors, particularly
having missed the cut in all three of them until this week.
Six-time major champion Nick Faldo criticized him for having no
strategy for links golf, and DeChambeau responded by working his way
into contention with plenty of power.
DeChambeau was hand-slapping with the gallery after he made a
12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to get within one shot of Herbert
going into the weekend. That changed when officials asked him to
review his shot from the fifth hole.
DeChambeau asked to be taken to the scene of the infraction, in
thick, high grass to the right of the 321-yard hole, and television
cameras picked him up arguing with Grant Moir, the R&A executive
director of governance, and Mark Luiten, a chief referee from the
European tour.
He drove well to the right and was stomping around as he tried to
figure out how to navigate a shot 72 yards from the hole. At issue
was whether he violated Rule 8 that governs the intended swing.
Officials eventually deemed a section of grass behind the ball was
tamped down by his movement, which might have affected his backswing
on the shot.
“A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking
reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance, if in some
situations that improves the condition affecting the stroke,” Moir
said. “But when doing so, the player must take the least intrusive
course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not
entitled to a normal stance or swing.”
He said the rule applies even when there is no intention to improve
the area.
Even more drama followed when DeChambeau stormed off to the range.
His agent, Brett Falkoff, was asked if the two-time U.S. Open
champion would play on Saturday and replied, “We'll see.”
[to top of second column] |
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States reacts after playing a shot
on the 17th green during the second day of the British Open Golf
championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England,
Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
DeChambeau appeared to confirm in his late-night
social media post that he planned to play.
Herbert was long gone when all this was taking
place, with mixed emotions about a short miss on the final hole but
proud to become the sixth person to shoot 62 in a major. And then
Burns made it seven with his astonishing finish — a 40-foot birdie
putt from off the green at the 16th, a 20-foot birdie on the 17th
and the first birdie of the day on the 18th with his bunker shot.
Burns wasn’t even supposed to be at The Open. His wife was due with
their second child this week, but when she had a daughter earlier
than expected — July 3 — Burns decided last Friday to cross the
Atlantic for another shot at a major. He was runner-up by one shot
in the U.S. Open.
When the dust finally settled on the brown-baked links of Royal
Birkdale, the only clarity was Herbert having his first 36-hole lead
in a major. And golf's oldest championship, which rarely lacks for
drama, had almost more than it could handle.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler couldn't buy a putt until a
12-footer for par on the final hole gave him a 68 and left him only
four shots behind.
“All you can do is continue to give myself opportunities,” Scheffler
said. “I was hitting some good putts as well, the balls just weren’t
dropping. ... If I continue to strike it like I did today and
yesterday over the next couple days, I’ll be in a good spot.”
Jackson Suber (69) and Ryan Gerard (67), a pair of newcomers to
links golf, were tied for second with Cameron Young, who has
powerfully put together a pair of 67s as he looks more like the
player who dominated the spring.
Rahm, who missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole and shot 67,
was very much in the mix just four shots behind and not about to
change his intensity, even though another conduct violation would be
a two-shot penalty.
“It’s not like I’m going to ... if I try to alter who I am too much,
it might cost me a little bit on the course,” Rahm said. “But
certainly shouldn’t have moments like the one on 15. I get it.”
Sixteen players were separated by four shots going into the weekend,
which includes hometown star Tommy Fleetwood, who had three birdies
over the last five holes for a 67.
The cut was at 1-over 141 and a few of England's best hopes won't be
around — Matt Fitzpatrick, the No. 3 player in the world, and Justin
Rose at No. 10.
Herbert, who has won on five tours around the world and most
recently on LIV Golf, made the cut for only the 10th time in 18
majors. He made it look easy until the final hole, and now his
thoughts shift from having his name in the record book to his name
on the claret jug.
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