DeChambeau Penalized Two Strokes at The Open After Lie Review

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Bryson DeChambeau was given a two-stroke penalty after his second round at The Open Championship for illegally improving his lie on the fifth hole, BBC Sport reports. After a lengthy review with officials at Royal Birkdale, his score on the hole was revised to a triple-bogey seven.

Leaderboard effect:

The penalty moved DeChambeau to five under par and into a tie for fifth place after a round of 68. That is the important competitive consequence: this was not a marginal paperwork correction. A two-shot adjustment at a major changes positioning, pressure, and the margin he must make up over the remaining holes.

Why it matters:

At The Open, where conditions and course management often punish small mistakes, a rules penalty can be as damaging as a poor swing. DeChambeau’s case is especially costly because it came after the round and after review, meaning the immediate performance narrative had to be recalculated. Instead of simply banking a 68, he left the day with a revised card and a harder route through the championship.

Tournament impact:

Being tied for fifth at five under still keeps DeChambeau inside the serious chase. The penalty does not remove him from contention based on the source details. But it does change the shape of his tournament: two shots can separate a player from the lead group, alter Saturday strategy, and force more aggressive decisions if the leaders continue to move.

Rules angle:

The confirmed breach was illegally improving his lie on the fifth hole. The source does not provide a full technical breakdown of the specific action, so the clean read is that officials reviewed the incident and applied the penalty after that process. For fans tracking the championship, the distinction is useful: the story is about a rules decision and its scoring impact, not about a new injury, equipment issue, or withdrawal.

What to watch:

The next question is how DeChambeau responds competitively. A player in a tie for fifth can still win a major, but the penalty means he has less room for conservative golf. His position after the next round will show whether the ruling becomes a defining moment of his Open or a recoverable setback.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty after round two, his fifth-hole score became a triple-bogey seven, and he stood five under in a tie for fifth after a 68. Still needing follow-up: the full rules explanation and how the penalty affects his standing after later rounds.