NBC Called Out For Coverage Of Bryson DeChambeau At Open Championship

Golf fans have made it known that they aren't thrilled with NBC's coverage of Bryson DeChambeau at the 154th Open Championship.

DeChambeau seemed well on his way to being in the top pairing for the third round at Royal Birkdale Golf Club after carding a 4-under 66 on Friday. However, he was assessed a two-stroke penalty for improving "the area of his intended swing" on the 5th hole after his ball was caught up in the fescue.

“Bryson has been penalized two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intended back swing on the fifth hole, his second shot,” an R&A spokesperson said. “The player must not move, bend or break any natural object. This rule applies even when there is no intention.”

Even though DeChambeau was furious with this decision, he confirmed on Friday night that he wasn't going to withdraw from the final major championship of the season.

"Obviously disappointed with the ruling. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is," DeChambeau wrote on social media. "This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it."

For the past 24 hours, NBC's cast of analysts haven't hid their feelings about DeChambeau. They've been awfully critical of the way he handled this situation at Royal Birkdale.

"Bryson did everything but lay down behind it or take a weed whacker to the tall grass behind it," Brandel Chamblee said. "Multiple infractions. Absolutely condemning. Absolutely clear. I don't really know what he was arguing about."

Fans are siding with DeChambeau.

Judging by some of the responses to NBC's telecast of the third round, golf fans are not thrilled with the way DeChambeau is being covered.

"NBC in Playing Through for Bryson's arrival to the first tee with no audio," No Laying Up wrote on social media. "Just cannot make it up."

"That is a fireable mistake," a fan declared. "NBC's coverage is honestly the biggest joke I've seen."

"NBC just had to show Bryson coming to 1st tee- Nope, it’s time for a playing through segment. Just awful production," a second fan added.

"It is amazing how bad their coverage is every single year," another golf fan replied.

"It’s genuinely embarrassing how everyone on NBC blatantly shows their bias with Bryson Dechambeau. They cannot stand him and don’t hide it at all," a social media user wrote.

A win this weekend at Royal Birkdale would silence all of DeChambeau's critics, that's for sure.