Michael Brennan was disqualified from the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open for using non‑permitted green‑reading materials , a breach of Model Local Rule G‑11 on the PGA Tour.

What actually happened

  • Brennan shot a 2‑under 70 in the first round at Torrey Pines but was removed from the tournament that evening.
  • The PGA Tour announced he was “DQ after the first round … for a breach of Model Local Rule G‑11; use of non‑permitted green‑reading materials.”
  • In his own statement, he said he had unknowingly used notes derived from detailed green maps supplied by a new course data analyst, and then self‑reported the issue to rules officials after his round.

What is Model Local Rule G‑11?

  • G‑11 limits players and caddies to committee‑approved yardage books, official hole‑location sheets, and a course map no larger than standard letter/A4 size.
  • Handwritten notes are allowed only if they come from the player’s or caddie’s own on‑course observations or TV viewing, not from external green‑reading systems or third‑party contour maps.
  • A first breach is normally a two‑stroke penalty; a second breach leads to disqualification.

In Brennan’s case, officials ruled that the materials he consulted counted as non‑permitted green‑reading information under G‑11, and the violation rose to the level that required disqualification from the event.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.