Brendan has the weekend off this week after an inadvertent rules infringement resulted in his disqualification from the Casio World Open.

On the very first hole in Thursdays' opening round, Brendan marked his ball only for it to move after he had put the coin down. Because it had not been he that had caused it to move, but rather the wind, he was not entitled to replace the ball but to play it from where it had come to rest, even though his coin was still on the ground. Brendan, thinking that as his marker was still on the ground and the ball had moved after the marker had been positioned he was required to replace the ball, did exactly that and continued on.

He signed for a round of even par which on day one would have had him in 13th position and only three behind the lead. Brendan first became aware of an issue developing when the next day he arrived at the course, had a stretch in the fitness area and then was informed by the Japan PGA Tour that there had been a possible infringement. Apparently one of Brendan's playing partners had approached the Tour after Brendan had signed his card and expressed his concern. 

They had no choice but to disqualify him and Brendan takes full responsibility but it perhaps could have been avoided with discussion between the players earlier as the infringement had been on the first hole of the day.

Brendan will now head back to Tokyo for this coming week's Golf Nippon Series, an event restricted to tournament winners and leading money winners in the Japan Golf Tour in 2007. That will be the last event of the season in Japan but Brendan will play the Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club starting on December 13th. 

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