DECHAMBEAU DECLINES MEDIA AFTER STRONG OPEN ROUND

Bryson DeChambeau shot a three-under 67 in the opening round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, his best major championship score of 2026. The round left him one stroke behind the lead. DeChambeau declined to attend the post-round media conference, continuing a pattern of avoiding press engagement at major tournaments. According to reporting, he refused to speak to assembled media but provided a limited number of quotes through R&A officials.

This marks DeChambeau's fifth consecutive major championship round in which he has declined the traditional post-round press conference. Earlier in 2026, he skipped the media conference following the PGA Championship and remained silent after missing the cut at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. One media commentator characterised the behaviour as "weak sauce". DeChambeau's avoidance of interviews has occurred during a period of poor form that included three missed cuts at major championships and two years without a tournament victory.

According to one golf reporter, DeChambeau agreed to answer a set of pre-submitted written questions from an R&A official, despite declining traditional print and television media interviews. The arrangement represents a limited form of engagement with the media rather than a complete refusal to address the press.