The Open: Bryson DeChambeau handed two-shot penalty after controversial ruling in second round at Royal Birkdale

Bryson DeChambeau has been sensationally handed a two-shot penalty after being involved in a controversial rules breach during his second round at The Open.

DeChambeau appeared to have moved within a shot of the halfway lead after following an opening-round 67 with a birdie-birdie finish to his four-under 66 at Royal Birkdale, only to be called to speak to rules officials after the conclusion of his round.

The two-time champion was adjudged to have inadvertently improved his lie when stood in thick grass at the par-four fifth, having hit a wayward tee shot, with DeChambeau returning to the area with rules officials to review the incident.

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Extraordinary footage saw DeChambeau passionately plead his innocence in a heated exchange, only to be penalised under rule 8.1 of the rules of golf and see his bogey on that hole become a triple-bogey seven.

In a statement, R&A Referee Grant Moir said: "Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intended backswing on the fifth hole when he was playing his second shot.

"Rule 8.1 restricts what a player may do to improve any of the protected conditions affecting the stroke, and this includes the area of the player's intended swing.

"So an improvement means to alter one or more of the conditions affecting the stroke so that the player gains a potential advantage for the stroke. I'll stress that this applies even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson's case."

It drops DeChambeau to a two-under 68 and from seven under to five under and three strokes behind Lucas Herbert, who now holds a two-shot lead and was one of two players to equal the lowest round in men's major history with second-round 62s.

More to follow...

Pundits divided after rules drama

Dame Laura Davies: "Bryson obviously fought his corner, but on the evidence of what they've seen on the camera and what they saw out there, they've decided it's a two-shot penalty.

"He's three back instead of one back - that's it. You can't go any more than that - that's why the camera is so important with the rules. Hopefully the right decision has been made."

Wayne 'Radar' Riley: "DeChambeau will certainly be wound up tomorrow and I think the people on this property will be rooting for him. We all looked at it and thought it could go one way or the other.

"It's been unfortunate, but it's been very well explained by the R&A."