It took Michael Brennan 21 starts to secure his first PGA TOUR Americas victory, which was also his first as a professional. Since then, the 23-year-old has collected two more trophies to make it three wins in his last four starts. A fully exempt 2026 Korn Ferry Tour card is already his via the Three-Victory Promotion, while the Fortinet Cup title is almost a lock.

With an 891-point lead and only two tournaments remaining, catching him looks nearly impossible. His stellar play has also been rewarded by the Official World Golf Ranking, where he has now risen to No. 121.

“I didn’t expect to win three events this season, so it’s been a really pleasant surprise,” said Brennan, whose main goal at the beginning of the season was to win one event and make the Fortinet Cup top 10 to secure a Korn Ferry Tour card for 2026.

With three wins and 10 top 10s in 14 starts and no plans to slow down, Brennan is setting new goals for the final two events.

“I would like to win again,” said the 2024 PGA TOUR University alum. “It’s fun to compete and fun being in those final groups. That’s why we practice — to feel those nerves and perform under pressure. I’d love to be in that environment again.”

Of his 2,306-point total for the year, Brennan has collected 1,772 through the North America Swing. He is just 250 points shy of the total last year’s Fortinet Cup winner Johnny Keefer earned across 10 events in the second segment of the season — a number Brennan would love to eclipse.

“Definitely a goal of ours after our win in Windsor was to chase Johnny’s mark. I knew it would take a few wins, and we’ve gotten them — so now it’s about keeping it rolling,” added the Wake Forest alum.

The second-hottest player on Tour is Derek Hitchner, who has been paired with Brennan in the final group in each of his three victories. With back-to-back runner-up finishes in the last two — a playoff loss in Minnesota and a one-shot defeat in Edmonton— Hitchner has risen to 10th in the Fortinet Cup, a remarkable leap from 61st just two weeks ago.

“(Derek) showed me a lot about his golf game and his toughness out here. He grinded really, really hard these last couple of weeks,” said Brennan about his recent rival. “Golf’s a tough game, it’s not very fair. I don’t know why I won and he didn’t, but I’d just say keep grinding. His game’s certainly good enough.”

Hitcher made the only move inside the top 10, while the leading nine held their positions from the previous week.

Top 10 in Fortinet Cup standings

1. Michael Brennan, United States
Fortinet Cup points: 2,306 (14 starts, 10 top 10s)

Last week’s rank: First
Best finishes:Won the BioSteel Championship (Week 11); won the CRMC Championship (Week 13); won the ATB Classic (Week 14)


There isn’t much left to say about his impressive play over the last few weeks. Holding the lead or a share of it through nine of the last 14 rounds played, he’s figured out how to win. In the process, he has risen to the top of both the Fortinet Cup Points List and to No. 121 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

2. Davis Lamb, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 1,415 (13 starts, six top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Second

Best finishes:Won the Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship (Week 6); runner-up at the Bromont Open (Week 8); T3 at the ATB Classic (Week 14)


As the 2023 ATB Classic champion and playing as well as he has this season, Lamb lived up to expectations as a contender last week at Northern Bear Golf Club. He was in the running for the title Sunday, reaching 18-under with three holes to play, before finishing bogey-bogey-birdie to tie for third.

3. David Perkins, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 1,247 (14 starts, four top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Third
Best finishes:Won the Explore NB Open (Week 7); runner-up at the Diners Club Peru Open (Week 4)


With 12 top-30 finishes in 14 starts, he has solidified his hold on third place. His latest effort at the ATB Classic resulted in a T14. Only Brennan has made more birdies this season.

4. Brett White, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 1,113 (13 starts, six top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Fourth
Best finishes:Won the Commissionaires Ottawa Open (Week 9); T3 at the Diners Club Peru Open (Week 4); T4 at the ECP Brazil Open (Week 2)


After missing out on the Monday qualifier for the PGA TOUR’s Procore Championship in Napa, California, he flew up to Edmonton for the ATB Classic. The late arrival didn’t help, and he missed the cut for just the third time this season.

5. Jay Card III, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 985.55 (14 starts, three top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Fifth
Best finishes:Won the Kia Open (Week 3); P2 at the Osprey Valley Open (Week 10)

He had a slow start at the ATB Classic, where an opening 74 was a tough round to bounce back from. It was only his second missed cut of the North America Swing.

6. John Marshall Butler, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 828.64 (14 starts, two top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Sixth

Best finishes:Won the Bupa Championship (Week 5); T3 at the Diners Club Peru Open (Week 4)


Inside the top five through 36 holes for the second straight week, he couldn’t sustain momentum on the weekend and finished T48.

7. Carson Bacha, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 817.25 (8 starts, three top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Seventh
Best finishes:Won the Osprey Valley Open (Week 10); T3 at the Bromont Open (Week 8)

Coming off his third top 10 of the season in Minnesota, he had a slow week in Edmonton with rounds of 70-74 to miss the cut. He remains the leading player from the PGA TOUR University Class of 2025 on PGA TOUR Americas.

8. Theo Humphrey, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 815.12 (13 starts, two top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Eighth
Best finishes:Won the Manitoba Open (Week 12); T5 at the Abierto Telecom del Centro (Week 1)


After his win in Winnipeg, he has earned only 7.25 points in his last two starts. He followed a missed cut in Minnesota with a T52 finish in Edmonton.

9. Hunter Wolcott, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 762.47 (13 starts, three top 10s)

Last week’s rank: Ninth
Best finishes:Won the Diners Club Peru Open (Week 4); T8 at the Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship (Week 6)


At 4-over, he finished well outside the cut line at the ATB Classic. It was his second consecutive missed cut, leaving him just 0.87 points ahead of the new 10th-place holder.

10. Derek Hitchner, United States

Fortinet Cup points: 761.60 (14 starts, three top 10s)

Last week’s rank: 21st

Best finishes: Runner-up at the CRMC Championship (Week 13); runner-up at the ATB Classic (Week 14)


Playing great golf, he has gone head-to-head with Brennan in back-to-back events. Unfortunately for him, Brennan prevailed both times — winning a playoff in Minnesota and edging him by one in Edmonton. On the bright side, those back-to-back runner-up finishes vaulted him from 61st to 10th in the Fortinet Cup.

Top move outside the top 10

13. Riley Lewis, United States

Fortinet Cup Points: 676 (13 starts, four top 10s)

Last week’s rank: 17th

Best finishes: T3 at the Manitoba Open (Week 12); T3 at the ATB Classic (Week 14)


At 8-under through 15 holes Sunday, he briefly led the ATB Classic at 19-under — the same number Brennan finished on. Bogeys at 16 and 18 left him two shots short for his second T3 in the last three events. All four of his top 10s have come across his seven North America Swing starts.

Next stop

This week PGA TOUR Americas plays the Times Colonist Victoria Open presented by Andrew Sheret Limited, the last full-field event of the season. Hosted by Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia, Sept. 18-21, this tournament will determine the Fortinet Cup Top 120 who advance to the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship, Sept. 25-28.