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On Saturday night, sitting in a tie for the lead at the Wyndham Championship, Michael Brennan briefly allowed himself to think about what it would mean to win—not only would he rise 58 spots in the FedEx Cup standings and make the playoffs, but he'd get such a boost that he'd be in position to make the second playoff event too. But the minute he went there, he was quick to chastise himself.
"See, I'm already starting to think ahead to the BMW, and that's a problem," he said. "We still have so much golf to play tomorrow."
Twenty-four hours later, Brennan no longer has to worry about the pull-and-tug with his own projections, because everything he imagined on Saturday is reality.
With a final-round 64 that included five straight birdies from holes 4 to 9 and some solid play under pressure late on the back nine, he finished the event at 22 under and beat his 54-hole co-leader Beau Hossler by three shots to win his second PGA Tour title. It was a special homecoming for Brennan, who played four years at Wake Forest in nearby Winston-Salem before graduating in 2024, and spent part of Monday walking around the campus.
RELATED: Jackson Koivun grabs last playoff spot, bubbles burst for Bradley and Koepka
In the end, Brennan, 24, was the only player to fight his way in from outside the playoff bubble to inside the top 70, as Hossler's solo second could only push him to 72nd, and other contenders like Davis Thompson and Matt Wallace likewise fell short. It's a remarkable double for Brennan, who until now had been pleased with every aspect of his game except for his performance on Sundays. That aspect surprised him and he said on Sunday that it was partly because he won so quickly after coming on tour.
"I got off to such a good quick and hot start that I thought it would be easier," he said. "I was like, 'oh, I've already won one, like this is going to be a piece of cake.' That's probably why I felt like I struggled a little bit."
Caleb Bowlin
The turnaround came when he started working with a new coach this summer and focusing with his caddie on turning down his aggression a few degrees. He can check the "came through in the clutch" box now, but for a short while late in the day, uncertainty began to creep in. The most dangerous moment came at 17, when his errant tee shot flirted with out-of-bounds, just as Hossler was beginning to make a late surge. But he recovered from the deep rough to reach the green and converted a gutsy par putt to maintain his two-shot lead.
"I wish I had that tee ball over again, but my ball was in a divot and I think that helped me a little bit because some of the rough is really nasty and the ball can sit down," he said. "So I could kind of get a somewhat clean shot on it."
His final hole was far less dramatic, and he managed to close out with a birdie. When his mother Shannon hugged him on the green and told him, "we're going to the Masters," his face registered the shock.
"We're going to the Masters!" he repeated, a massive grin on his face, having forgotten one of the big prizes that came with his win.
"I was so excited about the Masters because I had been thinking about the FedEx Cup Playoffs the whole week, like I knew that was coming," he said later. "I swear, I didn't even think about the Masters until my mom told me behind 18 green."
For Hossler, who opened the tournament with a 61 but needed more than the 67 he shot on Sunday, the week still felt "positive," though he admitted that the result stung. What could he take away?
"Being resilient when things weren't going my way in the middle of the back nine," he said, while giving credit to the "phenomenal" Brennan.
Playoffs, Masters, exemptions, and more are Brennan's to keep, but he'll have another prize to play for in Memphis at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where anyone who finishes inside the top 50 and qualifies for the BMW Championship will also be exempt into all of 2027's signature events. That could be especially crucial next year as players will compete for a spot in the upper-tier Championship Series that begins in 2028 under the PGA Tour's new format.
Despite the presence of contenders like Tom Kim and Alex Noren, the biggest challenge to Brennan and Hossler came in the form of Ben James, another tour rookie who made his debut this past August after finishing first in PGA Tour U. He shot a 61 on Sunday, tying Hossler for best round of the tournament, and setting his own personal low.
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"See, I'm already starting to think ahead to the BMW, and that's a problem," he said. "We still have so much golf to play tomorrow."
Twenty-four hours later, Brennan no longer has to worry about the pull-and-tug with his own projections, because everything he imagined on Saturday is reality.
With a final-round 64 that included five straight birdies from holes 4 to 9 and some solid play under pressure late on the back nine, he finished the event at 22 under and beat his 54-hole co-leader Beau Hossler by three shots to win his second PGA Tour title. It was a special homecoming for Brennan, who played four years at Wake Forest in nearby Winston-Salem before graduating in 2024, and spent part of Monday walking around the campus.
RELATED: Jackson Koivun grabs last playoff spot, bubbles burst for Bradley and Koepka
In the end, Brennan, 24, was the only player to fight his way in from outside the playoff bubble to inside the top 70, as Hossler's solo second could only push him to 72nd, and other contenders like Davis Thompson and Matt Wallace likewise fell short. It's a remarkable double for Brennan, who until now had been pleased with every aspect of his game except for his performance on Sundays. That aspect surprised him and he said on Sunday that it was partly because he won so quickly after coming on tour.
"I got off to such a good quick and hot start that I thought it would be easier," he said. "I was like, 'oh, I've already won one, like this is going to be a piece of cake.' That's probably why I felt like I struggled a little bit."
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Caleb Bowlin
The turnaround came when he started working with a new coach this summer and focusing with his caddie on turning down his aggression a few degrees. He can check the "came through in the clutch" box now, but for a short while late in the day, uncertainty began to creep in. The most dangerous moment came at 17, when his errant tee shot flirted with out-of-bounds, just as Hossler was beginning to make a late surge. But he recovered from the deep rough to reach the green and converted a gutsy par putt to maintain his two-shot lead.
"I wish I had that tee ball over again, but my ball was in a divot and I think that helped me a little bit because some of the rough is really nasty and the ball can sit down," he said. "So I could kind of get a somewhat clean shot on it."
His final hole was far less dramatic, and he managed to close out with a birdie. When his mother Shannon hugged him on the green and told him, "we're going to the Masters," his face registered the shock.
"We're going to the Masters!" he repeated, a massive grin on his face, having forgotten one of the big prizes that came with his win.
"I was so excited about the Masters because I had been thinking about the FedEx Cup Playoffs the whole week, like I knew that was coming," he said later. "I swear, I didn't even think about the Masters until my mom told me behind 18 green."
For Hossler, who opened the tournament with a 61 but needed more than the 67 he shot on Sunday, the week still felt "positive," though he admitted that the result stung. What could he take away?
"Being resilient when things weren't going my way in the middle of the back nine," he said, while giving credit to the "phenomenal" Brennan.
Playoffs, Masters, exemptions, and more are Brennan's to keep, but he'll have another prize to play for in Memphis at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where anyone who finishes inside the top 50 and qualifies for the BMW Championship will also be exempt into all of 2027's signature events. That could be especially crucial next year as players will compete for a spot in the upper-tier Championship Series that begins in 2028 under the PGA Tour's new format.
Despite the presence of contenders like Tom Kim and Alex Noren, the biggest challenge to Brennan and Hossler came in the form of Ben James, another tour rookie who made his debut this past August after finishing first in PGA Tour U. He shot a 61 on Sunday, tying Hossler for best round of the tournament, and setting his own personal low.
Continue reading...
