Bryson DeChambeau received a controversial two-stroke penalty during the second round of The Open last week, a decision that President Donald Trump described as a "tough call." Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, July 25, 2026.

The penalty stemmed from an incident on the fifth hole where DeChambeau appeared to be walking through the weeds and stomping on the rough behind him, causing it to lie flat for his swing out of the rough. This action led to a heated exchange between the LIV Golf star and rules officials at The Open.

DeChambeau reportedly sought to reach out to Trump for assistance following the incident, though the president did not intervene. Instead, Trump expressed sympathy for DeChambeau when asked about the situation.

"I thought the Bryson call was a tough call," Trump said. He also noted seeing many players walking around looking for their balls in the weeds during the tournament.

Trump's involvement in sports controversies has included his role in getting FIFA to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card for the USMNT’s Round of 16 match against Belgium. When asked if there was precedent for someone in his position to act as a fixer for athletes, Trump responded, "Well, it's not a fixer. You mean being a judge."

Despite his sympathy, Trump acknowledged that Gianni Infantino, FIFA's president, "did a good job in making that call" regarding Balogun, adding, "All I did, I asked for a review. I thought that call was not a good call. But it worked out great."

DeChambeau was seen consulting with rules officials during the third day of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, on July 18, 2026, and riding in a buggy with a rules official after the second round on July 17, 2026.

President Trump also spoke at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, on July 22, 2026.

Sources