Michael Thomas

@RiskCap @PGATUOR The outer edges of the TIO are what define the TIO. There is ground under and inside those edges, including that bush. It was established that way before the event even started, not a favorable ruling for a single player.

@PGATUOR Better yet the ball that was not found today = lost ball by Scheffler versus Bryson = lost ball . One got a free drop although fans stated it went in the bushes BEHIND the temporary stand = not in. Shenanigans galore. Glad Fox won or this would have been terrible for the game.

Wow. A new video is showing that multiple people had already stomped all around Bryson’s ball, before Bryson even got there.

@captainbc52 @PGATUOR Have a look at rule 13 for putting greens specifically. Rather than AI which often has things wrong, look at the actual rule book

@PGATUOR While we're talking about penalties...🤔🤔

@nennieml @GolfChannel Where do you see in the rules of golf that it’s a penalty? And what disparaging thing did he say? “I’m not fond of him”? If…IF there’s a code of conduct issue it would be handled through a fine, not penalty strokes. But that’s a real stretch.

@mikepga @GolfChannel Rory saying disparaging things about a fellow player is against the rules, but no penalty. Still think he doesn't by get preferential treatment?

Grant Moir, Chief Referee at The Open, explains the incident and decision that resulted in a 2-stroke penalty for Bryson DeChambeau

@themasterwales @TheOpen @RandA Grass vertical before he gets there, laying down after. Im not sure how the grass that WAS vertical before he got there WON’T interfere with where his club went.

Here’s the video of Bryson Dechambeau’s club path. Club seems to go nowhere near the bush everyone is talking about. Does anyone have this in clear resolution? @TheOpen @RandA

@DustinT_NBA Moving 2 blades of grass out of 400 does not make an improvement. He carefully and fairly take his stance. No issues here. This is exactly how BD SHOULD have acted. Textbook

Interesting

@MadeForTheRange No. If you read rule 7 and 8, reasonable actions to locate and identify your ball are permitted even if a slight improvement happens.

So if in the course of searching for a ball a player walks in what would be their swing path before finding their ball, thus accidentally improving the path.. would be a penalty? Right?

@zamboughnuts This isn’t mashing it down. It’s lightly grounding the club which is expressly PERMITTED in 8.1.

Here's Rory mashing down the fescue to improve his backswing today.

@KreJakka @PeterFinchGolf He isn’t entitled to be there at all. If walking there improves the area…it’s a penalty.

@PeterFinchGolf Whats he supposed to do, pole vault back there? Hes trying to line up his shot. Hes got tall grass all around. He tries to take a large step to avoid steppiing on any grass that could move his ball. Total BS penaly. I hope Bryson shoots 61 Saturday.

👣 Gotta be honest not sure on this one. From what I can understand the officials have assessed Bryson a 2 shot penalty for improving his lie, are inferring it wasn’t intentional, but his actions in walking backwards and toward the ball constitutes an infringement 🤨

@PeterFinchGolf The real obvious improvement happened before this clip

@TeeTimesPub @HankHaney That “before” isn’t before. It’s after his initial stomping around. The true BEFORE images show the grass vertical.

Can anyone honestly look at this before and after and say Bryson stomped down the grass in a way that actually affected his swing path?

@DKSports77 It’s not the lie that’s the issue. It’s the area of the swing that’s been improved.

Here is where the Ball is and how far behind the ball he stepped. No way this improved his lie.

@OttenVT @KendoVT Only in some rules. This isn’t an intent based rule.

@KendoVT No, not wrong. Intent is a big part of the rules of golf

The Bryson rule revolves around intent, correct? If he says it wasn’t intentional how can they prove it was? Am I wrong about the intent part?

@KendoVT You are indeed wrong about the intent part.

@Top_notch_ed @GolfGreer Should they be allowed a trimmer and chainsaw to improve their swing then?

@GolfGreer It's too minimal. They should allow you to do whatever you want to surrounding area as long as the ball is not displaced. Would end this dumb debate

Judge Greer's verdict: Innocent.

@GolfGreer This is satire right? You know that players don’t have a right to walk however they want around the ball right? RIGHT?!?!

@DerrickLawter They come out clean BECAUSE they enforced the rules correctly regardless of the public opinion. If they don’t, and he wins…much dirtier for the sport as a whole.

There is no version of this weekend where the R&A comes out clean. From a neutral point of view, that's exact scenario seems to happen often with no penalty. I for one am hoping Bryson plays and wins - reclaiming himself as a fan favorite.

Bryson Dechambeau got hit with a 2-shot penalty at The Open today for "inadvertently" improving his lie - but forget the ruling for a second. The R&A just put themselves in a lose-lose situation, and I don’t think they realize it yet 🧵

@RiggsBarstool When did they EVER say intentionally cheating? In fact, they were ADAMANT that it was accidental…several times.

The Royal & Ancient deemed this illegal. Deemed it intentionally cheating. Penalized him for it!!

@JeremyNASCAR09 @notthefakeDNP Not malicious. But the improvement is a violation. No guarantee that you can have a view from there.

@notthefakeDNP Literally looked like he was just trying to see the shot from behind the ball didn't see anything malicious

This is bullshit. Bryson may have trampled the grass but he should be able to look at his shot.

@notthefakeDNP Untrue. You aren’t entitled to do anything but take a fair stance and make a swing (may have to be a bit abnormal to accommodate the situation). Players aren’t entitled to view it from there.

@BernMapes @GolfChannel There’s no entitlement to view your shot from behind. And if you do, certain care must be taken to not improve the area.

@GolfChannel so he is supposed to hop like a rabbit to get behind his ball to line up his shot, I don't think so.