Bryson DeChambeau found himself at the centre of a rules controversy during the US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, sparking calls from spectators for his disqualification.
The defending champion's troubles began on the 621-yard fourth hole when his second shot landed amongst a group of spectators crossing the course. The unusual situation led to a series of errors that had fans demanding harsh penalties.
The world number 10 was granted relief by officials, allowing him to move his ball to a fairer position on the fairway.
However, what followed was a sequence of confusion that left both spectators and commentators bewildered by the professional golfer's actions.
After instructing his caddie to pick up the ball whilst determining the best position to play from, DeChambeau unexpectedly changed his mind and decided he was satisfied with the ball's original location.
Bryson DeChambeau made the bizarre mistake of placing the ball instead of dropping it
Sky Sports Golf
The referee informed him that having already picked it up, he would need to drop it elsewhere on the fairway or face a penalty.
DeChambeau found an acceptable spot and asked the official: "This is probably closest right ma'am?"
In the midst of the confusion, the American made a crucial error by placing the ball on the ground rather than dropping it as required by the rules.
He muttered, "that was dumb," as the official quickly intervened to correct the mistake.
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Officials allowed DeChambeau to correct his error without penalty, permitting him a second attempt at dropping the ball properly. This decision sparked fierce debate amongst US Open fans.
One spectator demanded: "Should be penalty strokes."
Another wrote: "Penalty DQ now." A third commented: "He should be penalised, others would have."
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The bIzarre mistake has caused fans to call for his disqualification
Sky Sports Golf
However, not all viewers agreed with calls for punishment. "It's obvious it wasn't intentional," one fan argued.
Another defended the decision, adding: "The ball was not in play. He corrected the mistake, if he hit the placed ball different story."
The incident divided opinion on whether the rules had been applied fairly to the defending champion.
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Luckily Bryson DeChambeau got away without any penalty for his mistake
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Sky Sports commentator Tony Johnstone expressed his astonishment at the unprecedented nature of DeChambeau's mistake.
"That's a first. In 45 years as a pro, I've never seen a professional take a free drop and PLACE the ball by mistake. How strange," Johnstone remarked during the broadcast.
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