Michael Brennan was disqualified after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open.
Brennan fired a two-under 70 on the North Course at Torrey Pines on Thursday but was later disqualified from the PGA Tour event in San Diego.
According to the official PGA Tour communications team, Brennan breached Model Local Rule (MLR) G-11.
The Tour claim he was using “non-permitted green-reading materials” in round one.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Brennan self-reported, a rules official noticed or one of his playing partners flagged it.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Brenann played round one alongside Joe Highsmith and Frankie Capan III.
England’s Aaron Rai was supposed to play in the group but withdrew before the tournament began without explanation.
Brennan, 23, turned professional in 2024 after graduating from Wake Forest University and made a name for himself last year.
On his third PGA Tour start – and first as a professional – Brennan won the Bank of Utah Championship by four strokes on a sponsor exemption.
The victory earned him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Brennan is ranked 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
According to the MLR, players are restricted to committee approved yardage books and hole location sheets, and a map of the entire course no larger than letter or A4 sized paper.
The USGA states that breach of the rule, in the first instance, is a two-shot penalty. The second breach results in disqualification.
Brennan was making his third start of the season. He missed the Sony Open cut and then tied for 56th at The American Express, won by Scottie Scheffler.
England’s Justin Rose held a one-shot lead after 18 holes at the Farmers. An emotional Brooks Koepka fired a 73 on his first PGA Tour start since 2022.
Michael Brennan was DQ after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open for a breach of Model Local Rule G-11; use of non-permitted green-reading materials
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) January 30, 2026
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
More follows.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
