Last Sunday, Bryson DeChambeau won his second US Open championship. Despite his victory, the LIV golfer faced criticism from a caddie who said he had broken a rule.
After an exciting match in North Carolina, Bryson DeChambeau won his second US Open championship on Sunday amidst a flurry of controversy.
In a thrilling final round at Pinehurst No. 2, DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy faced off, with DeChambeau narrowly defeating the PGA Tour heavyweight by one stroke. The LIV Golf sensation started the day three shots ahead of McIlroy, but on championship Sunday, things drastically changed.
With five holes to go, McIlroy took his time and made three birdies between holes 10 and 13. This put him two shots ahead of DeChambeau. The thrill was far from over, though, as McIlroy faltered in the final four holes, making three bogeys, including two incredibly close misses on the 16th and 18th holes.
This gave DeChambeau the opportunity to stage an incredible comeback, capping his triumph with a strong up-and-down on the eighteenth hole. Known for his unique style of play, DeChambeau’s equipment caused a stir when PGA Tour veteran caddie Kip Henley questioned the putter’s validity.
Henley posted a picture of the putter along with the statement, “If I’m a player around the lead in the US Open, I would ask the USGA to check the specs on this putter,” on X. “The shaft must incline at least 10 degrees away from the head. It appears very vertical. It’s a rule, not that I despise him or am a —-.”
Mirror US Sports has thoroughly examined the ruling in question after Henley’s tweet provoked a wave of criticism for scrutinizing DeChambeau’s putter selection.
“It is important to remember the third condition listed in Part 2, Section 1b, and to check that it cannot be adjusted into a position which does not conform to the Equipment Rules,” the rulebook says when evaluating an adjustable club’s conformance.
A putter that is adjustable for lie, for instance, cannot be set to a position where the shaft deviates from the vertical by less than 10 degrees (refer to Section 1d below) or to any other position that would cause the club to no longer comply with regulations (refer to Figure 1).
“It should be noted that all putters can usually be positioned so that the shaft diverges from the vertical by less than 10° or even to a position where the shaft itself is vertical,” the USGA explains for those who prefer the technical details. Furthermore, it is uncommon for a putter’s sole to be entirely flat from heel to toe.
When a ruling of this nature is made, the putter design should be taken into consideration rather than whether the player uses the putter with the shaft in a position lower than 10°.
DeChambeau’s club would have, as one might anticipate, undergone extensive inspections to make sure it complies with all regulations. Henley, the caddie, acknowledged a day later that his first post was “tongue in cheek.”
He tweeted, “You people have lost your minds, Jesus Mary and Joseph!” “Don’t you think I would realize that Bryson has had a thousand inspections done on his equipment, and his putter would definitely be in compliance? It was a playful tweet that I anticipated would annoy some of you. I’ve never stirred a pot this easily.”
