Fleetwood Rides Home Crowd While DeChambeau's Surge Stalls at Open Championship

Penalties and warnings mark the second round of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale

Home favorite Tommy Fleetwood credited the crowd at Royal Birkdale for helping carry him into contention after the second round of the 154th Open Championship, according to BBC Sport, while Scotland's Robert MacIntyre quietly worked his way into the mix as well.

The round was not without controversy elsewhere in the field. Jon Rahm received a code-of-conduct warning Friday after throwing his club following a poor tee shot on the par-3 15th hole, ESPN reported.

Bryson DeChambeau's second-round charge was halted by a two-stroke penalty. The R&A assessed the penalty for an infraction on the fifth hole, ruling that DeChambeau had improved his lie in hip-high fescue, according to Fox News. DeChambeau reacted angrily toward rules officials before the penalty was formally assessed, Fox News reported, adding a tense subplot to a leaderboard that Fleetwood and MacIntyre continue to climb.

The penalty is expected to reshape the weekend leaderboard heading into the tournament's final two rounds at the historic English links course.

— Compiled from reporting by BBC Sport, ESPN and Fox News.