SOUTHPORT, England, July 18 (Reuters) - American Bryson DeChambeau's two-stroke penalty imposed after his second round at the British Open on Friday was a "clear-cut decision", according to the R&A's chief executive Mark Darbon.
DeChambeau had put together a stunning round of 66 and was alone in second place on the leaderboard, one shot off the lead, until R&A officials deemed he had inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing on the fifth hole.
Footage showed the big-hitting DeChambeau stamping down on long grass near where his tee shot had landed. After his round he was driven back to the spot in a buggy alongside an official and was seen in animated discussion.
Later he emerged from the recorder's hut after being told he was being punished with a two-stroke penalty.
"It was an unfortunate decision but really clear-cut from a rules perspective," Darbon told BBC Radio 5 Live on Saturday.
He also insisted he had not been called by President Trump who is close to the twice U.S. Open champion.
"No. I have not received a call from President Trump and we will see what happens from here," he said in response to a light-hearted question about Presidential influence.
The dramatic conclusion to Friday's action even led to suggestions that DeChambeau might quit the tournament but he posted on X late on Friday that it had "fired him up" for an assault on the Open over the weekend.
He will start three shots behind leader Lucas Herbert whjen he tees of at 1430 GMT.
"There was some emotion but I empathise with that. Bryson has played a great round of golf, is in contention at a major championship, he wants to win the golf's original major," Darbon said of the late Friday controversy.
"We were focused on the ruling and making a fair assessment."
There was some sympathy for DeChambeau from fellow American Russell Henley who suggested on Saturday that other players with a lesser profile might not have even been called out.
"The issue with that to me is the fact that he's on TV every shot. If I played that hole yesterday and I did the same thing, maybe they don't penalise me because maybe they don't see me do it. That's the tough part; he's on TV every single shot," he said after carding a third-round 68.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
