Bryson DeChambeau has arrived back at Royal Birkdale as he bids to put a rules controversy behind him and get his Open challenge back on track.
The two-time US Open champion was the focus of attention after being hit with a two-shot penalty after his second round on Friday.
DeChambeau shot a four-under-par 66 to move within one of halfway leader Lucas Herbert but was punished for inadvertently improving his swing path by treading on long grass around his ball in rough on the fifth.
The resulting penalty dropped him back to five under for the tournament but, after speculation he could quit the championship in protest, he said the incident would motivate him.
“Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it,” he posted on X.
He arrived at the course just after 2pm on Saturday ahead of his scheduled tee time of 3.30pm. He was due to play in the third last group with Sam Burns.
There were extraordinary scenes after DeChambeau was informed of the ruling the previous evening. He remonstrated with rules officials after returning to the scene of the incident to review the matter and later hit balls on the range after dark until around 10.30pm.
The DeChambeau controversy overshadowed the achievement of Herbert, who led on eight under after an Open record-equalling round of 62. Burns, who finished five under, later matched his eight-under round.
Australia’s Herbert was playing in the final group at 3.50pm alongside first round leader Jackson Suber, who was at six under. Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard, also six under, were in the penultimate group at 3.40pm.
Conditions were cooler and cloudier on Saturday, with slightly more of a breeze, and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox was the first to take advantage, shooting up the leaderboard from level par to eight under after 17.
Rory McIlroy was also among the earlier starters but made a mixed start as he attempted to get back into contention.
The Masters champion bogeyed the third and fourth holes to fall back to one over par but birdied the fifth and chipped in for eagle at the ninth to climb to two under.
