'Right there with the Claret Jug' without penalty: DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau admitted that he felt like he could have contended for the victory at the Open Championship last weekend if not for ​a two-shot penalty and a poor performance on one hole.

Speaking after ‌completing the first round of the LIV Golf United Kingdom, DeChambeau's comments were in response to recording a 68 last Friday at Royal Birkdale.

DeChambeau was handed the ​penalty following his second round at the Open Championship in Southport, ​England, after R&A rules officials determined he had taken actions ⁠to improve "the area of his intended swing" on a shot 13 ​holes earlier.

A popular but divisive figure in the world of golf, the LIV ​Golf star originally posted a 4-under 66 to move to 7 under, one shot behind Australia's Lucas Herbert. But rather than waking up Saturday in second place and ​the final pairing for the third round, DeChambeau entered the weekend ​three behind Herbert instead of one, his bogey 5 at the fifth hole changed to ‌a ⁠triple-bogey 7.

He finished the tournament tied for 14th place at 4-under-par, six strokes back of eventual winner Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

"Yeah, I made the cut. No, it was a good fight," DeChambeau said. "I wish I ​would have given ​it more on ⁠Saturday and Sunday. Felt like I could have. Besides the fifth hole and being 3-over on that hole ​and then the 11th hole (triple bogey in the final ​round), that's ⁠six shots. That's tied for the lead right there. That's two holes and I'm right there with the Claret Jug."

DeChambeau, 32, declined interview requests following ⁠his final ​three rounds at The Open.

The Open was ​the only major where DeChambeau made the cut in 2026. The LIV Golf star's two ​major victories came at the US Open in 2020 and 2024.