Since he was a youngster, Michael Brennan has dreamed about playing on the PGA Tour.
The 23-year-old former Wake Forest golfer fast-tracked his way there Sunday by winning the Bank of Utah Championship, completing a sudden rush into full status on the tour.
Brennan, playing on a sponsor exemption, used his third PGA Tour start (and his first as a professional) to skip one step in his planned path to the big tour. Having earned full status on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour by virtue of three victories on PGA Tour Americas this season, Brennan can now bypass the developmental tour after locking down his PGA Tour privileges for the next two years.
Starting the final round at picturesque Black Desert Resort with a two-stroke lead over defending champion Matt McCarty, Brennan played a stress-free final round as he rolled to a four-stroke victory over Rico Hoey, finishing at 22-under-par 262.
Brennan is the first player since Nick Dunlap in 2024 to win while playing on a sponsor exemption and the fifth to do so in the past decade.
“It's been my goal growing up to play on the PGA Tour,” Brennan said. “I know my parents showed me things I wrote in kindergarten what my dream job is. It was always to play professional golf and to do so on the highest level.”
Brennan showed no outward signs of nerves as he played the final round, using his enormous power to his advantage in the desert conditions. With his nearest challengers unable to make a serious run at him, Brennan was able to cruise through the closing 18 holes.
After his victory, Brennan said his caddie, Jeff Kirkpatrick, had told him he was going to find a way to bypass the Korn Ferry Tour and he did it.
Brennan has now won in August, September and October, changing his career arc. An eight-time winner at Wake Forest, Brennan was asked what has changed over the past three months.
“A lot of mental, maybe, fortitude or focus has gotten a lot better. Definitely been some technical things that have improved a lot around the green and on the green. I think that showed this week. Feel like I was pretty good around the greens. But a lot of belief in my game that I’m capable,” Brennan said.
A native of Leesburg, Virginia, Brennan said he reminded himself that what he was doing in southern Utah wasn’t much different from his days playing at his home course, the River Creek Club.
“That’s where I grew up basically was at the club. It’s a very kind of calming and peaceful place to me. So when I try to imagine I’m hitting shots, just a 7-iron I would hit at River Creek, makes me feel a little bit better out on the golf course,” Brennan said.
David Ford, who finished tied for third and played often against Brennan in college, has seen how good Brennan can be.
“He’s really good. He hits the ball maybe the longest in the field this week. He’s hitting it straight so he’s ripping driver everywhere. When he gets the putter going he’s going to be hard to beat any week,” Ford said.
It was a big week for Hoey, who was outside the top 100 in FedEx Cup points three weeks ago. With consecutive top-5 finishes, Hoey has jumped to 61st in the points race, securing his card for next year and moving to within one spot of cracking the Aon Next 10, which comes with a spot in the first two signature events in 2026.
Ron Green Jr.