JOHN DALY’S relationship with Australian officials reached breaking point earlier this month when he walked off the course at the national open, but the twice major winner says there were mitigating circumstances.

The 45-year-old, who is competing at this week’s Hong Kong Open, hit six balls into the water from the 11th tee in the opening round of the Australian Open before shaking hands with his playing partners, walking to the Lakes Golf Club car park and driving off in a courtesy car.

Daly, who had been penalised two shots for hitting the wrong ball out of a bunker at the previous hole, said he had run out of balls, but that excuse cut little ice with the PGA of Australia, who withdrew his invitation to the November 24th-27th Australian PGA Championship.

It was just the latest in a string of incidents in the country for Daly, who also smashed a spectator’s camera at the Australian Open in 2008.

“I accept if you look at my past competing in Australia, the way I was treated was not harsh, but if they were to have looked at really what went on at the 10th hole then it was harsh,” Daly said.

“I had found the bunker with my tee shot and then when I got up there I hit a great bunker shot, and when I threw my caddy the ball to wipe it, I find it’s not my ball.

“Then on the 11th it was my ego that got in the way and I thought we had plenty of golf balls. But the question I keep asking is what were range balls doing in the bunkers out on the championship golf course?

Daly said the media had exaggerated the incident.

Television footage shows Daly shook hands with playing partners Craig Parry and Hunter Mahan and walked back to the clubhouse.

“I shook hands with Craig and Hunter and said I’ve run out of balls, and I said that also to an official and he said to me that is was unfortunate,” Daly added.

“But what hurts me is that it was then reported I stormed off. Well, I never stormed off. I just walked back to the clubhouse.”