Recent PGA Tour Winner Disqualified From Farmers Insurance Open

Recent PGA Tour winner Michael Brennan has been disqualified from the Farmers Insurance Open after breaching a Model Local Rule relating to the use of "non-permitted green-reading materials."

Brennan, who claimed a remarkable debut victory on the PGA Tour at last year's Bank of Utah Championship after receiving a sponsor's exemption, opened with a two-under-par round of 70 at Torrey Pines' North Course on Thursday.

The 23-year-old sat T55th on the leaderboard but would take no further part in the event, which has seen Brooks Koepka make his PGA Tour comeback, after being found guilty of breaching Model Local Rule G-11.

According to the PGA Tour handbook, the specific MLR "restricts the use of green-reading materials to only committee-approved yardage books and hole location sheets, and a map of the entire course no larger than letter or A4 sized paper."

Per the USGA, the first violation of Model Local Rule G-11 constitutes a two-stroke penalty while the second results in disqualification from the tournament. It is not know at this time when Brennan picked up his first violation for breaching this Rule.

A further explanation of the Rule from the USGA says: "Handwritten notes may be added to an approved yardage book or approved hole-location sheet before or during the round by the player or the player’s caddie only and are limited to information gathered by the player or caddie only.

"Handwritten notes may contain information gained only through personal experiences of the player or the player’s caddie from the course or by watching a televised broadcast, but are limited to information gained: While observing a ball that was rolled or played (whether by the player, caddie or someone else), or through the player’s or caddie’s feel or general observations of the putting green."

Model Local Rule G-11 was introduced in January 2022 and went on to penalize Alex Cjeka on the PGA Tour Champions circuit just a few months later.

The German pro - who was believed to be the first player to fall foul of the Rule on a Major US circuit - was disqualified for using an "unapproved yardage book" in the third round of the Regions Tradition tournament.

The implementation of the Rule was somewhat controversial at the time, but Rory McIlroy - who was the president of the Players Advisory Council in 2022 - felt players had become "lazier" before restrictions were made on green-reading materials.

He said: “It's not that it's an advantage really; it's just taking away a skill that takes time and practice to be mastered.

"I think reading greens is a real skill that some people are better at than others, and it just nullifies that advantage that people have.

“Honestly, I think it's made everyone lazier. People don't put in the time to prepare the way they used to.”