Rory McIlroy criticizes Bryson DeChambeau's conduct at British Open

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, July 19, 2026

Rory McIlroy criticized Bryson DeChambeau's actions during a rules dispute at the British Open that resulted in a two-shot penalty and delayed the third-round tee times until late at night. The controversy underscored tensions between the players and sparked debate over player behavior and rule enforcement at major golf tournaments.

Rory McIlroy criticized Bryson DeChambeau's conduct during the British Open following a rules dispute that led to a two-shot penalty for the American golfer. The incident occurred on Friday at the tournament's fifth hole, where officials were reviewing whether DeChambeau had unintentionally improved the path of his swing. The situation resulted in a lengthy and heated exchange with rules officials lasting late into the evening, delaying the release of tee times for the third round until around 11 p.m.

McIlroy, ranked world No. 2 and a Masters champion, openly expressed his disapproval of DeChambeau's behavior after completing his own third-round 69. He described much of DeChambeau’s conduct as “performative” and suggested it was motivated by seeking attention rather than genuine dispute. “To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us — players, volunteers, everyone — waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look,” McIlroy said.

The delay generated frustration among several players. England’s Marco Penge referred to the situation as “a joke” due to the late-night wait and uncertainty about whether DeChambeau would continue competing in the weekend rounds. McIlroy’s comments highlighted an ongoing tension between the two players, as he had previously avoided speaking to DeChambeau during a final-round pairing at the 2025 Masters.

DeChambeau was ultimately assessed the penalty and was expected to return for the remainder of the tournament. The incident and its aftermath sparked debate within the golfing community about player conduct and the management of rules disputes during major championships. While several players supported the officials' ruling and expressed impatience with the delay, others refrained from public comment on the matter.

The British Open continued with the third round proceeding as scheduled once the tee times were finalized. Both McIlroy and DeChambeau remained in contention, with attention turning to their performances over the weekend amid the lingering controversy.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.