The 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale was this past weekend, and at the event, Bryson DeChambeau, one of the biggest stars in golf today, made some headlines.
DeChambeau being at the center of the discussion is nothing new, as the golfer is not only among the top players in the sport but also a very vocal person with his own YouTube channel that has become very popular and has featured some massive celebrities.
Pat McAfee Backs Bryson DeChambeau Amidst Controversy
DeChambeau didn’t finish in the top 10 in the 2026 Open Championship, and a big reason for his subpar finish was a two-stroke penalty that was placed on him for stomping on some tall grass to improve the area for his shot in the second round.
The LIV Golf star was not happy with the decision, arguing with officials and even threatening not to appear on Saturday. While he did end up showing up to play on Saturday, the threat showed just how unhappy DeChambeau was with the ruling.
“I respect that move,” Pat McAfee said of DeChambeau threatening not to show up on Saturday.
McAfee added that DeChambeau could easily say, “[I’ll take] my 3D printed clubs, and my golf ball, and I’m going home to my YouTube channel.”
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Reports indicate that DeChambeau not only threatened not to show up on Saturday but also threatened to call President Donald Trump to attempt to get the issue overturned.
While a threat to involve the president in an event like this may have sounded unprecedented even a few months ago, the reasons why it is plausible in this case are twofold.
Firstly, this would not be the first time something like this has happened this year. President Trump got involved in a recent controversial decision during the 2026 World Cup involving the United States and star forward Folarin Balogun, who was given a red card and suspended for a subsequent game. After Trump spoke with Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, the ruling was overturned, and Balogun was eligible to play against Belgium.
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Secondly, DeChambeau is an open supporter of President Trump and has a relationship with him. The two have golfed together, and Trump has appeared on his YouTube channel, making it easy to see that he could have been pining for him to get involved. However, this request was denied, Trump was not involved, and the penalty was upheld, to DeChambeau’s dismay.
“What are you supposed to do?” McAfee asked in defense of DeChambeau. “Is he supposed to go in on his tippy toes?”
The Bryson DeChambeau situation was a MASSIVE storyline this weekend #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/puVjTUg3RE
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 20, 2026
While McAfee and many others have defended him amid the controversy, not everyone is on his side. Rory McIlroy, one of the top stars in the sport, is among those who agreed with the ruling and were not hesitant to call out DeChambeau.
“Whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters,” McIlroy said of the controversy. “Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified for sure.”
“I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I’m not particularly fond of him,” added McIlroy. “I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.”
Unfortunately for DeChambeau and his fans, their gripes have come to no avail, and the LIV Golf star ultimately finished outside the top 10 in the event.
The controversy has sparked discussion around the golf world and figures to continue as more details emerge. He will look to bounce back and prove the haters and doubters wrong in future major tournaments.
