Michael Brennan wasn’t supposed to be at Black Desert Resort in St. George, Utah.
He was originally scheduled to do a conference in Canada for a sponsor, where he would hit balls into a simulator, give lessons and compete in a closest to the pin challenge.
Then, he was granted a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship.
And won.
MORE: Final results, payouts from Bank of Utah Championship
In his third-ever Tour start, and first since turning professional in 2024, the 23-year-old from Virginia claimed his maiden title by four strokes over Rico Hoey, finishing at 23 under par.
“It really hasn’t set in,” Brennan said. “It’s an amazing feeling, really an amazing feeling. Winning golf tournaments is one of the better feelings in the world.”
Even Hoey, who played in the final group with Brennan, had to tip his cap.
“Michael played great from the start,” he said after a final-round 67, “so for me, I was just trying to keep up with him. Yeah, he kept pushing me to hit great shots and make good putts. That’s all I could do.”
Though Brennan has never won on Tour, Brennan has been on a torrid pace this year. The former Wake Forest star, who claimed eight wins in college, played on the PGA Tour Americas this year and won three times in four weeks. Closing the season with consecutive top fives, he finished first in the tour’s season-long standings, earning Korn Ferry Tour status for 2026.
“[My caddie] told me ever since we played a great year, we’re not going to the Korn Ferry Tour,” Brennan said on the 18th green after the win, “whether it was, I don’t know, through something like this or Q-School. I can’t believe he's right.”
Rewarded by Bank of Utah with a start on the world’s top circuit, he took full advantage by showcasing his talent immediately.
Brennan opened 67–65 to secure the 36-hole lead. In Round 3, it seemed maybe the magic had run out with a double on No. 2. Nope. He eagled No. 7, had four consecutive birdies on Nos. 9–12 and signed for a 64, taking a two-stroke lead over defending champion Matt McCarty, who, ironically, won last year in his third Tour start (he placed T3 this week).
First on the leaderboard. First in driving distance.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 26, 2025
Michael Brennan's longest drive of the week (418 yards!) comes on no. 12 @BOUChampionship. pic.twitter.com/FOQtN5oJKA
Brennan extended his lead to five making the turn on Sunday, but bogeyed No. 10 after hitting his approach left and long from the fairway bunker as Hoey made birdie.
Again, however, Brennan displayed the poise of a veteran, birding the par-4 12th with a 418-yard drive, tied for the 18th-longest tee shot on Tour this year. He was second in the field in driving distance this week at 351 yards and first in strokes-gained off the tee (7.6 strokes). Not to mention, he hit nearly 90% of fairways, almost 80% of greens in regulation and was eighth in strokes-gained putting (5.4 strokes).
“Had a little wind down of the left. Even to the front pin, I told Jeff on the tee that I was just going to hit it really hard and I hit a good drive,” Brennan said of his drive on No. 12. “I was surprised to see to get all the way down to the front of the green, but it ended up making the second shot much easier.”
Perhaps that tee shot was the moment it felt safe to say Brennan would finish it off, but it became official on the par-5 18th, even if there was some trouble. He hit his second shot into an unplayable area, took a drop, chipped onto the green and two-putted for bogey.
Brennan is the 13th player to win a Tour event while playing on a sponsor’s exemption, and the eighth to claim their maiden Tour victory in their third (or fewer) career start.
Now, he’ll have full Tour status for two seasons—and, for good measure, a $1,080,000 winner’s check to deposit (his career earnings in 26 PGA Tour Americas starts were $247,389).
Much better than chipping in Canada, right?
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sponsor Exemption Breaks Through for Remarkable Win at Bank of Utah Championship.
