RORY MCILROY slammed Bryson Dechambeau for “holding the tournament hostage’.
And the world No 2 insisted : “I’m won’t pretend to defend Bryson – I’m not particularly fond of him.”
In a savage attack on the American, world No 2 Rory insisted the R&A’s rules police were right to dock him two shots late on Friday night.
The pair have been in a long – running feud over Dechambeau’s involvement with breakaway LIV Golf and McIlroy took the chance to stick the knife in.
Dechambeau was docked two shots for “inadvertently” improving his lie amongst thick rough at the fifth hole before his second shot in the second round of the Open.
After demanding to be taken back to the spot but then told he was being penalised the petulant Californian is understood to have threatened to pull out of the Royal Birkdale showpiece.
McIlroy condemned him over the incident that saw him drop down to five under par before yesterday’s third round despite Dechambeau pleading innocence.
The Grand Slam winner declared : “I was watching it live. I was up in the players’ lounge watching it with a few other players.
“As soon as he made the step into the ball we all sort of looked at each other and we were like, ‘that didn’t seem right’.
“Then when I heard that he was called in by the rules officials, I think we all – it was pretty obvious for why.
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“I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing.
“Again, it’s like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters.”
He was just as scathing over how Dechambeau was believed to have suggested he would pull out before at midnight posting on social media : “Obviously disappointed with the ruling.
“I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it.”
The Dechambeau delay meant the naming of the pairings were held up for almost two hours, McIlroy saying: “Late night for everyone. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.
“To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look.”
Englishman Marco Penge revealed : “It was a bit of a joke really – I’m staying at home an hour away but not getting a tee time until 11.pm.
“We could at least have got a heads-up for what time the first tee time was going to be but obviously there was a lot of commotion that delayed things.”
McIlroy finished his third round with a 69 after eagling the ninth with a brilliant chip, yet at two under par doesn’t hold much hope of winning the seventh major of his career.
But he stressed : “There’s been three 62s this week already so you never say never – but I need to shoot double digits under par now.”
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