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Scheffler Says Course, Not Competitors, Is His Rival as He Defends DeChambeau

The World No. 1 urged stricter officiating to curb disputed conduct after the Open penalty.

Overview

  • Scheffler said this week ahead of the 3M Open that his biggest rival week to week is the golf course and its changing conditions rather than another player.
  • He publicly defended Bryson DeChambeau after the Open incident, saying DeChambeau is “definitely not a cheater” and rejecting personal jabs between players.
  • The comments respond to Rory McIlroy’s post-Open criticism of DeChambeau, who received a two-stroke penalty for allegedly improving his lie by trampling rough and then argued with rules officials.
  • Scheffler called for officials to police behavior more strictly so disputes like the Open confrontation are handled on the spot and do not disrupt play.
  • Framed by Scheffler’s World No. 1 status and a season with many different winners, his stance presses the sport to focus on officiating and playing conditions rather than personality-driven rivalries.