Signature Scroll: Stars rise, favorites go home early and a rules controversy at Royal Birkdale - PGA Tour
Early departures at Royal Birkdale
The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale saw several notable golfers miss the cut, including Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick. Rose, who finished with a 2-under 68 after an initial round of 76, expressed a desire to have changed the day of the week, indicating his disappointment. Despite missing the cut, he received a warm reception walking up the 18th hole, a moment he described as a “glorious walk.” Rose has a history at Royal Birkdale, having tied for fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998. Spectators showed appreciation for his career, remembering his past performance at the venue.
Matt Fitzpatrick also missed the cut, showing visible frustration with missed putts. He attributed his performance to the unpredictable nature of links golf, stating that he received “no luck” despite hitting decent shots. Both Rose and Fitzpatrick were considered strong English hopes for the tournament, with Fitzpatrick having secured three wins earlier in the year.
Jordan Spieth, who won at Royal Birkdale in 2017, made an early bid to make the weekend with a pair of birdies. However, his round was marred by a three-putt from 4 feet on the seventh hole and another from 8 feet on the 14th. He also recorded a 9 on the 17th hole, leading to a round of 77 and ultimately missing the cut by nine shots. Akshay Bhatia, despite a strong year, missed three of four cuts at majors. Aaron Rai and Wyndham Clark, both major champions this year, also did not make the cut. Harry Hall became the only player to miss the cut in all four majors this year.
The cut line was set at 1-over 141, marking the second consecutive year that 1-over par was the cut score. Some players, like Min Woo Lee and Josele Ballester, made late birdies on the 18th hole to secure their spot for the weekend. Cameron Smith, who won the Open in 2022, missed the cut in three of the four majors this year, and missed all four in 2025. He missed the cut by one shot at Royal Birkdale, despite using a mallet putter, a change for a player known for his putting.
Rules controversy and rising stars
A rules controversy involving Bryson DeChambeau significantly impacted the tournament. DeChambeau was penalized for a prohibited action, which involved moving, bending, or breaking a natural object while taking his stance. Grant Moir, executive director of governance for The R&A, clarified that players must take the least intrusive course of action when dealing with such situations and are not entitled to a normal stance or swing if it involves disturbing natural objects. DeChambeau and his agent, Brett Falkoff, disputed the penalty, with Falkoff stating that DeChambeau felt unfairly penalized and was not careful enough in a sensitive area.
The penalty changed DeChambeau’s signed score from a 4-under 66 with a bogey at the fifth hole to a 2-under 68 with a triple bogey. This dropped him from solo second at 7-under par to 5-under overall, placing him in a tie for fifth and out of the final pairing.
Amidst the early exits and rules discussions, some players delivered strong performances. Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both tied the lowest score in major championship history with rounds of 62. Burns, who has previously struggled at this event, achieving his best finish of a tie for 31st in 2024, mentioned he is learning to “embrace the chaos” following his record round. Francesco Molinari, who won the Claret Jug in 2018 under similar conditions, is performing well, currently at 4-under and tied for sixth.
Tommy Fleetwood, with a round of 67, moved to 4-under, keeping the hopes of a hometown winner alive. No Englishman has won The Open since 1992, and Fleetwood now carries the pressure for the nation after Rose, Fitzpatrick, and Rai missed the cut. Scottie Scheffler is performing strongly in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, ranking third, but his putting has been a challenge, placing him 126th. Rory McIlroy continued his aggressive play, driving the ninth green for the second consecutive day, a hole not typically considered drivable. He had previously chosen to lay back in practice rounds but has been encouraged by favourable wind conditions to take an aggressive approach.
Source: pgatour.com
