SOUTHPORT, England (AP) 鈥� Rory McIlroy saved one of his best shots at the on Saturday for Bryson DeChambeau.
The world No. 2 didn鈥檛 hold back when asked for his thoughts on DeChambeau鈥檚 conduct late Friday, when the American was involved in a lengthy, heated post-round exchange with rules officials as they reviewed whether he had inadvertently improved the path of his swing on the fifth hole.
DeChambeau was and there were doubts over whether he would show up for the weekend. The extraordinary late-evening scenes also delayed the release of the tee times for Saturday鈥檚 third round.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 pretend to be up here and defend Bryson,鈥� McIlroy told reporters after shooting a 1-under 69 in the third round. 鈥淚鈥檓 not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it鈥檚 for attention.”
鈥淭o hold the tournament hostage like that,鈥� McIlroy continued, 鈥渁nd to have all of us 鈥� players, volunteers, everyone 鈥� waiting on him to depart, I didn鈥檛 feel like it was a great look.鈥�
McIlroy said he watched the initial incident live with a few other players and felt DeChambeau’s actions 鈥渄idn鈥檛 seem right.鈥�
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing,鈥� McIlroy said. 鈥淎gain, it鈥檚 like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don鈥檛 think it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified, for sure.鈥�
Other players were more diplomatic when discussing the incident.
鈥淚f I was in that position, I鈥檇 just be very careful where I鈥檓 standing and how I get into the ball and make sure I don鈥檛 improve my lie,” said English player Marco Penge, who was among the golfers to post on X late Friday about his frustrations about the tee times being published so late. 鈥淵eah, I would never want anyone to think I was doing that. That鈥檚 how I would deal with it.鈥�
Former Open champion Xander Schauffele said DeChambeau could have been given 鈥渢he benefit of the doubt.鈥�
鈥淗e said he didn鈥檛 do it intentionally and it鈥檚 unfortunate that he got penalized because he was playing incredibly well and obviously he鈥檚 still playing incredibly well,鈥� Schauffele said, 鈥渟o he鈥檚 obviously going to have something to prove these next two days.鈥�
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