SOUTHPORT, England — Scottie Scheffler says skilled golf must do a greater job of cracking down on rule breakers, however the world No. 1 additionally defended Bryson DeChambeau after Sunday’s last spherical of the British Open Championship, saying the LIV Golf star is “positively not a cheater.”
DeChambeau obtained a two-stroke penalty after Friday’s second spherical for bettering his “vary of supposed swing” within the tall grass on the fifth gap at Royal Birkdale Golf Membership.
“All I wish to say is Bryson. I’ve recognized him for a very long time and he is a number of issues, however he is positively not a fraud,” Scheffler mentioned. “I’ve by no means seen him cheat as soon as on the placing inexperienced, when he is having a placing contest, when he is having a chipping contest, when he is enjoying newbie golf. I’ve by no means seen something suspicious.”
Tv replays confirmed DeChambeau approaching the shot in his native space and taking a number of excessive steps. Because of this, the tall fescue grass behind his ball gave the impression to be mendacity flat.
The R&A’s govt director of governance, Grant Moir, mentioned in an announcement on Friday that the rule “additionally applies the place the conduct is unintended, as in Ms Bryson’s case”.
“Watching him from that digital camera angle, perhaps he was just a little careless across the ball, however I do not suppose he did something deliberately,” mentioned Scheffler, who shot a 3-under 67 within the last spherical to tie for fourth place at 7-under.
DeChambeau shot a 69 on Saturday and a 72 on Sunday to complete at 4 underneath par, six photographs behind winner Ryan Fox.
Scheffler additionally agreed with Russell Henry and Sam Burns, who recommended that some golfers are underneath extra scrutiny than others as a result of their photographs are sometimes proven on tv.
“All I can actually say is perhaps we should be just a little bit more durable in relation to policing our gamers, however you will have guys like Bryson and each shot he takes goes to be on TV, so it is just a little bit extra balanced,” Scheffler mentioned. “When the digital camera angle is way away, issues can look completely different than if you’re proper there.”
Scheffler was referring to Jon Rahm’s two-stroke penalty for apparently chipping in for birdie on the sixteenth gap within the last spherical at The Memorial in 2020. Tv replays confirmed the ball shifting barely when Rahm went to hit it from the tough on the par-3.
The penalty minimize Rahm’s margin of victory from 5 strokes to 3 strokes.
“We have seen penalties occur — bear in mind when Jon Rahm acquired the ball shifting within the tough at Memorial a couple of years in the past — and you may see it with the bare eye, however can you actually see it?” Scheffler mentioned. “Typically I believe it’s only a troublesome place within the sport of golf.”
Scheffler recommended that above all else, golfers must self-discipline themselves and observe the foundations.
“Once I was a child, I assumed like that is the rule, that is the rule, that is the appropriate facet of the rule, and that is if you’re doing one thing that is towards the rule,” Scheffler mentioned. “I really feel like typically you are at all times attempting to deviate actually far. Typically you see gamers pushing just a little additional than they need to.
“I believe we have to get again to the traditions of the sport, and perhaps we have to crack down just a little bit extra on issues within the sport.”
