R&A release official statement as Bryson DeChambeau is handed a two-stroke penalty at The Open

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesBryson DeChambeau was dealt a devastating blow after his second round on Friday at The Open Championship.DeChambeau posted a second-round 66 to finish up at seven-under par through two rounds at The Open, just one stroke adrift of the leader.However, disaster struck for the American after he walked off the 18th green at Royal Birkdale.

Bryson DeChambeau was deemed to have improved his lie in the rough on the fifth during day two at The Open.DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty as a result of his inadvertent actions on the fifth hole at Birkdale on Friday.R&A release official statement as Bryson DeChambeau is handed a two-stroke penalty at The OpenDeChambeau was devastated as he left the scorer’s tent.

He was handed a two-stroke penalty and dropped back to five-under par from seven-under.And now R&A rules official Grant Moir has released an official statement regarding the incident.Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images“Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intending backswing on the fifth hole where he was playing his second shot,“ he said.

“Basically I am going to explain the technicalities of the rule here. It restricts what a player may do to improve any of the protected conditions affecting the stroke. This includes the area of the player’s intending swing.

“An improvement means to improve one or more of the conditions affecting the stroke. So the player gains a potential advantage for the stroke.“I would stress this applies even when the action was accidental, as it was in Bryson’s case.

“The area includes any area which might reasonably affect any part of the backswing, downswing or completion of the swing for the intended stroke.“Importantly what the prohibited action here is, the player must not move, bend or break any growing or natural object.“A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance if in some situations tha