Bryson DeChambeau has spoken out after receiving a controversial two-stroke penalty during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, insisting he was disappointed with the ruling while stopping short of criticizing tournament officials directly.

The two-time U.S. Open champion was penalized after the R&A determined that he had inadvertently improved the area of his intended backswing while playing his second shot on the fifth hole. The ruling changed his bogey into a triple-bogey seven, dropping him from one shot off the lead to tied-fifth heading into the weekend.

After spending time discussing the incident with R&A officials, DeChambeau briefly addressed reporters as he left the scorer’s area.

“Are you guys having a great night? I’m having a great night,” he said, clearly frustrated by the outcome.

When asked whether he planned to continue in the tournament following the penalty, DeChambeau declined to answer directly.

“I’m off to hit some balls,” he said before heading to the driving range to continue preparing for the weekend.

DeChambeau’s agent later defended the LIV Golf star, maintaining that the penalty was unjustified.

“He’s a lot of things. He’s not a cheater,” the agent said.

They added that DeChambeau genuinely believed the decision was unfair but would take time to decide how to move forward.

The R&A stood firmly behind its ruling, with referee Grant Moir explaining that the Rules of Golf prohibit players from improving the conditions affecting a stroke—even if the action is accidental.

The penalty proved costly, leaving DeChambeau three shots behind the tournament leader instead of just one entering the third round.

Despite the setback, DeChambeau was later seen practicing on the driving range late into the evening, signaling his determination to remain focused on the championship.

The incident has become one of the biggest talking points of the week at Royal Birkdale, with fans and analysts divided over whether the two-stroke penalty was justified.