# McIlroy criticizes DeChambeau over Open penalty and 'hostage' claim

Rory McIlroy has accused Bryson DeChambeau of holding The Open 'hostage' and stated that a penalty against DeChambeau was justified. The comments highlight ongoing tension between the two golfers at the major tournament.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/articles/czdm1emd44no?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:25:22 GMT
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/videos/cm2gygy14w8o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:51:50 GMT
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/20/bryson-dechambeau-donald-trump-open-championshiup-penalty-golf-royal-birkdale) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:14:34 GMT
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/24/bryson-dechambeau-says-two-shot-penalty-cost-him-the-open-golf) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:30:31 GMT