Ivins, Utah — Michael Brennan entered the Financial institution of Utah Championship on a sponsor exemption after a disappointing loss on the PGA Tour Americas. He stands to depart Black Desert on Sunday as a PGA Tour winner.
Brennan shot a 7-under 64 underneath sunny skies on Saturday on a scenic course surrounded by purple rock cliffs, placing him two pictures behind defending champion Matt McCarty.
“We have now an incredible alternative tomorrow so we simply wish to reap the benefits of it and keep centered,” Brennan mentioned.
Brennan, making his third profession PGA Tour begin and first as knowledgeable, is making an attempt to change into the primary participant to win on a sponsor exemption since Nick Dunlap of American Specific final yr.
“I used to be undoubtedly a bit nervous,” Brennan mentioned. “I do not assume it was something loopy. There was nothing that I did not expertise enjoying skilled golf on the American Tour. I felt like these experiences had been fairly related, and that is very satisfying. I’ve some expertise and I am hoping to reap the benefits of that tomorrow. However once you’re on the golf course, it is simply you and the golf course.”
Brennan dropped a stroke with a double bogey on No. 2, enjoying eight holes at seven underneath. He began with a 206-yard strategy to a 3.5-foot eagle on the par-5 seventh, chipped to 1 foot on twelfth and a couple of.5 toes, and completed with a chip to 2.5 toes on the 14th. He scrambled to avoid wasting par on the seventeenth and birdied the par-5 18th to maneuver to 17 underneath. 196.
“I am clearly very pleased with the best way this spherical ended,” Brennan mentioned. “As soon as we bought into the sport, we performed very solidly.”
The 23-year-old former Wake Forest star gained three in 4 consecutive PGA Tour Americas occasions in August and September, topping the season factors record and incomes the primary of 10 Korn Ferry Tour spots obtainable on tour.
His victory got here in Windsor, Ontario. Brainerd, Minnesota. and Sherwood Park, Alberta. He gained eight titles at Wake Forest, led by the ACC Championship in 2023 and 2024.
McCarty additionally shot a 64, ending with birdie, birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie, birdie, birdie. He entered the week at No. 84 within the FedEx Cup standings.
“Simply take quite a lot of good pictures,” McCarty mentioned. “I missed just a few putts. I hit a very good putt on the fifteenth, too. I simply hit it a bit bit.”
After this week, there are solely three tournaments left within the season for gamers to complete within the high 100 within the FedEx Cup and maintain a full card for the 2026 season. The highest 100 is down from 125 gamers who held playing cards a yr in the past.
Rico Hoey (63), Kevin Yu (63) and Pierceson Coody (66) had been tied for third place at 14 underneath. Hayden Springer (62) and Thorbjorn Olesen (65) had been 13 underneath. Within the FedEx Cup, Yu is 61st, Hoey 91st, Olesen 116th, Springer 131st and Coody 133rd.
“That is important as a result of we’re approach behind when it comes to card retention,” Springer mentioned. “That is necessary to me. There is a massive distinction between conditional standing and full standing.”
