American Michael Brennan birdied five of the first nine holes on Sunday on his way to capturing the Bank of Utah Championship for his first PGA Tour title.
Playing on a sponsor exemption in only his third career PGA Tour start and first as a professional, the 23-year-old former college star at Wake Forest fired a closing five-under-par 66 to finish 72 holes on 22-under 262 at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah.
That was enough to defeat Rico Hoey of the Philippines by four strokes and take a $1.08-million top prize from the $6-million purse.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Brennan said. “Winning golf tournaments is one of the better feelings in the world. It takes a lot to play professional golf.
“Mental fortitude or focus has gotten a lot better. Definitely have been a lot of technical things that have improved, around the green and on the green, and I think that showed this week.”
A third-place pack on 16-under 268 included Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, Canada’s Ben Silverman and Americans David Ford, Pierceson Coody, Justin Lower and 2024 Utah winner Matt McCarty.
South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout finished on eight-under 276 (T42) after rounds of 70, 68, 67 and 71, while countryman Aldrich Potgieter missed the cut.
Brennan became the second PGA Tour winner in as many seasons on a sponsor exemption, the first since Nick Dunlap at last year’s American Express event in the California desert.
After firing a 64 Saturday to seize a two-stroke lead, Brennan sizzled at the start Sunday with a three-foot birdie on the 2nd hole and a six-footer at the 3rd.
He added a 12-foot birdie putt at the 5th and tap-in birdies at the par-five 7th and 9th holes after reaching the greens in two.
A bogey at the 10th after finding a fairway bunker left Brennan on 21 under, three ahead of Hoey, who sank a 21-foot birdie putt at 12 only for Brennan to birdie as well from just inside three feet.
Brennan drove the green at 14 and sank a three-foot birdie putt to stretch his lead and Hoey stumbled with a bogey at 16 to leave the American ahead by five.
At the par-five 18th, Brennan took an unplayable lie drop and penalty after his second shot landed in a deep hole, chipping onto the green. He just missed an 18-foot par putt then tapped in for bogey and the victory.
Only three events remain for players to try and earn a spot in the top 100 on the PGA Tour season points list and claim full tour rights for the 2026 campaign.
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Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Article Link: Brennan wins Utah crown for first PGA Tour title