R&A chief executive Mark Darbon found himself answering an unexpected question involving U.S. President Donald Trump after Bryson DeChambeau’s controversial two-shot penalty at The Open Championship.
DeChambeau was handed the penalty after officials ruled he had inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing on the fifth hole during the second round at Royal Birkdale. The decision changed his score from a 66 to a 68, dropping him from one shot behind the lead to three shots back.
Despite criticism from some fans and DeChambeau’s camp, Darbon insisted the ruling was straightforward under the Rules of Golf.
“It was an unfortunate decision but really clear-cut from a rules perspective,” Darbon told BBC Radio 5 Live.
The interview then took an unexpected turn when Darbon was jokingly asked whether he had received a phone call from President Donald Trump, a well-known golf enthusiast and longtime friend of DeChambeau.
The question referenced Trump’s recent involvement in another sporting controversy, where he publicly urged FIFA to review a player’s suspension.
Darbon smiled before delivering a light-hearted response.
“No,” he said. “I have not received a call from President Trump, and we’ll see what happens from here.”
The R&A chief also acknowledged the emotions surrounding the incident, revealing that DeChambeau and his team were understandably disappointed after the ruling.
“It’s fair to say there was some emotion around that, and we’ll keep some aspects of that discussion private,”Darbon said.
He added that he understood DeChambeau’s frustration but emphasized that officials were focused solely on applying the Rules of Golf fairly.
“I empathise with that. Bryson has played a great round of golf, he’s in contention at a major championship and he wants to win golf’s original major. We were focused on the ruling and making a fair assessment.”
Although DeChambeau initially questioned whether he would continue in the tournament, he later confirmed he would play on, saying the controversy had only increased his motivation heading into the weekend.
The penalty remains one of the biggest talking points of this year’s Open Championship, but the R&A has made it clear that it stands firmly behind its decision.
