Bryson DeChambeau received a contentious two-stroke penalty during The Open, prompting a response from former President Donald Trump who described the decision as a “tough call.” DeChambeau, who was involved in a dispute with rules officials over the penalty, reportedly considered seeking Trump’s help.

While Trump did not intervene, he expressed his sympathy for DeChambeau’s situation during a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office. Trump commented on the incident, noting, “I thought the Bryson call was a tough call.” His remarks highlighted how common it is for players to search for their balls in difficult areas like thick weeds.

The incident occurred on the fifth hole of DeChambeau’s second round. As he walked through the rough, he appeared to flatten the grass, potentially giving him an unfair advantage. Despite DeChambeau’s efforts to persuade officials otherwise, the penalty stood.

I see a lot of people walking around looking for their ball in weeds. But I’ve been watching that, so, you know, I thought it was a tough call against him.

Trump was also asked about his involvement in other sports decisions, such as FIFA’s suspension of Folarin Balogun’s red card for the USMNT’s match against Belgium. He rejected the notion of being a “fixer,” explaining that he acted more like a “judge” in seeking fair outcomes. Trump pointed out that the red card’s suspension turned out well, as the player was allowed back on the field.

For DeChambeau, the tournament ended on a sour note despite initially staying competitive. He incurred a triple-bogey on the 11th hole of the final round, finishing The Open at 4 under, tying for 14th place. The Open remained the only major where DeChambeau made the cut within the season.