Donald Trump has offered his perspective on the controversy surrounding golfer Bryson DeChambeau's rules violation at The Open Championship, describing the penalty as a "tough call." DeChambeau was assessed a two-stroke penalty during the second round at Royal Birkdale for improving his lie in the rough.
Reports indicated that DeChambeau, frustrated by the ruling, considered contacting Trump. When asked about his potential role in sports disputes, Trump deflected the label of "fixer," suggesting it was more akin to being a "judge."
"You know, I thought the Bryson call was a tough call," Trump stated on Friday. "I saw him walking around. I see a lot of people there walking around looking for their ball in weeds. I've been watching that. So, I thought it was a tough call against him."
Trump drew a parallel to his recent involvement in a disciplinary matter for the U.S. Men's National Team, where he had inquired about a red card issued to player Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. He recounted reaching out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating, "I thought the red card was a very tough call, and it worked out brilliantly."
"All I did, I asked for a review," Trump added. "I thought that call was not a good call."
Despite DeChambeau's reported inclination to involve the former President, R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon confirmed that Trump did not contact the organization regarding the golf penalty. Darbon maintained that the ruling against DeChambeau was "clear-cut" from a rules standpoint and was made to preserve the championship's integrity.
DeChambeau's penalty caused him to drop from one shot off the 36-hole lead to three back, and he continued to slide down the leaderboard on Sunday. While fellow competitor Scottie Scheffler defended DeChambeau, stating he was not a "cheat," Rory McIlroy was critical of DeChambeau's actions. McIlroy described DeChambeau's behavior as "performative" and "for attention," noting that it caused delays for other players and officials.