When you’re good, you’re good. All you need is an opportunity to prove it.

Although the reduction of fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR is imminent, the through line has been that the best who belong in the big leagues will continue to find a way to get there. It’s easier said than done, but Michael Brennan just showed that it is can also seem as easy to do as it’s said.

In what just his third career start and first as a professional on the PGA TOUR, Brennan emerged with the victory at the Bank of Utah Championship by four strokes and with a bogey-6 on his 72nd hole on less. He posted 22-under 262 with respective rounds of 67, 65, 64 and 66.

The Wake Forest University grad who finished 12th in PGA TOUR University in 2024 was in the field of 132 at Black Desert Resort Golf Course via a sponsor exemption in part due to his dominating performance on the PGA TOUR Americas this year, where he won three times and finished No. 1 in the Fortinet Cup – the circuit’s season-long points race. He’s the 15th first-time winner on the PGA TOUR in 2025 and the latest to win a PGA TOUR stop after gaining entry on a sponsor exemption since Nick Dunlap was an amateur at The American Express early in 2024. Dunlap was also the most recent non-member to take a title until Brennan on Sunday.

Despite the inexperience but due to his torrid form upon arrival in Utah, Brennan was +5500 to prevail pre-tournament at FanDuel. He was tied for 30th-shortest in the field of 132. Expect to see him regularly in PGA TOUR markets for a while because he’s now fully exempt as a winner through the 2027 season.

For winning the tournament, Brennan earns $1,080,000. By qualifying immediately for PGA TOUR membership, he also banks 500 FedExCup points, so he splashes at 95th in the FedExCup. He’s now exempt into the 2026 editions of THE PLAYERS Championship and the PGA Championship. And because The Sentry was canceled, its exemption, traditionally reserved for winners, has been deferred to the RBC Heritage, so Brennan will appear in that Signature Event via this victory. Oh, and he’ll also climb just inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

Rico suave

For the second time in as many seasons as a PGA TOUR member, Rico Hoey has needed a strong second half to retain his card. As a rookie last year, he wrangled all four of his top 10s and all but one of his nine top 25s in 28 starts overall in his last 13 events. This year has been better, but with only the top 100 in the FedExCup securing fully exempt status for 2026, he wasn’t safe until his runner-up finish at Black Desert. It’s his fourth top 10 in his last seven starts. With a T4 in his last at the Baycurrent Classic, the streaky ball-striker was a respectable +2200 to win in Utah.

Defense mechanism

The similarities between the first two winners of the Bank of Utah Championship are striking. It was just a year ago when Matt McCarty gained entry into the tournament as the newest member of the PGA TOUR after earning an automatic promotion for winning three times on the Korn Ferry Tour late in that circuit’s season. Lo and behold, the lefty rose to victory at Black Desert by three strokes. So, the second edition of the tournament served as his first title defense. He didn’t repeat, of course, but he was one of six to check up six swings back of Brennan. Despite the unique experience, spirited play of late that included a closing 60 at the Baycurrent Classic contributed to McCarty’s own short odds to win of +2500.

Making it official in style

PGA TOUR University valedictorian David Ford (+15000) was also among the throng at T3. In his first nine starts since accepting membership in late May, the lefty cashed just twice in nine starts. The Bank of Utah Championship marked his 10th start as a member, thus officially qualifying him as a PGA TOUR rookie. (He is fully exempt as a member via PGA TOUR University at worst through 2026.)

Because it was also his 10th start as a member this season, Luke Clanton (+4500) is also officially a rookie. He placed T56.

This, That and the Other

• Thorbjørn Olesen (+3300), Pierceson Coody (+4000), Justin Lower (+20000) and Ben Silverman (+25000) round out the sextet at joint third.
• Tournament favorite Michael Thorbjornsen (+1300) tied for 37th. His third-place finish at the Baycurrent Classic was his fourth top-four finish in six months.
• Maverick McNealy was the only golfer who advanced to the TOUR Championship in the field at Black Desert, and he was second-shortest to win at +1700, but he missed the cut by three strokes.
• Of the eight golfers in the field tied to Utah, only Zac Blair (T20) and non-member Connor Howe (T56) made the cut. The outright odds for both were +30000.

That’s the Ticket!

This section reflects which bets endorsed by the Golfbet team cashed and where you could find them.

Q: Was the winner in my Power Rankings

A: No. However, six of the 15 featured finished inside the top 15, including four of the podium finishers. Thorbjornsen was No. 1.

Rob’s Sleepers

• Michael Brennan (Win) – Top 20 (+320)

Glass’ DraftKings Props

• Max Homa (T9) – Group D Winner (+300)

• Thorbjørn Olesen (T3) – Top Continental European (+500)

Brad Thomas’ betting preview

• Rico Hoey (second) – Top 20 (+135)

Expert Picks

Will Gray

• Ryan Gerard (T4) – Top 10 after Round 1 (+550)

Chris Breece

• Rico Hoey (second) – Top Rest of the World (+500)

Jimmy Reinman

• Stephan Jaeger (T11) – Top German (+135)

For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-522-4700 today.