WINDSOR, Ontario – Michael Brennan carded a career-low 9-under 61 in the first round of the BioSteel Championship at Ambassador Golf Club to take sole possession of the 18-hole lead for the first time in 21 starts as a professional.

After notching his seventh top-10 finish of the season at the Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates, Brennan carded a 6-under 29 on his second nine, which was highlighted by an eagle on hole No. 2, the 380-yard par-4.

In 10 starts on PGA TOUR Americas this season, Brennan, a Fortinet Ambassador, has not missed a cut and entered the week at No. 5 in the Fortinet Cup points list. With a win, Brennan would move to No. 1 in the points list.

In his last 14 starts, Brennan has made 13 cuts with 10 top-10 finishes. The second-year professional has not missed a cut since the 2024 CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center, and has only finished outside of the top-15 twice this season.

Charlie Nikitas, John DuBois and John Augenstein trail Brennan by one stroke after carding rounds of 8-under 62 on Thursday.

All players finished first-round play on Thursday. Second round tee times are expected to run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. ET.

Charting the leader

About Michael Brennan (first/-9)

 

• Shot a career-low 9-under 61 in the first round of the 2025 BioSteel Championship on Thursday; holds the solo lead after the first round for the first time in his professional career
• Has made 11 consecutive cuts dating back to the 2024 Fortinet Cup Championship, the longest active streak amongst PGA TOUR Americas members
• Has the most top-10 finishes of the 2025 season with seven. Brennan has finished in the top 10 15 times in 20 career starts on PGA TOUR Americas, 10 of which have come in his last 14 starts dating back to the 2024 season
• Finished as the No. 12 player in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2024 to earn PGA TOUR Americas membership
• Tied for third in Wake Forest program history with Curtis Strange with eight individual titles: Brennan only trails Bill Haas (10) and Gary Hallberg (nine)
• Earned co-medalist honors at the 2024 ACC Championships and earned All-ACC honors four times during his time with the Demon Deacons
• Won the Middle Atlantic Amateur Championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019
• Won the 2019 Virginia State Amateur Championship

Competition notes 

Course setup: Par 70 / 7,033 yards; R1 average: 67.865
Weather: Sunny with a high of 29 (85). Wind from the SW at 10-15 km/h with gusts up to 23 km/h.  

• Three countries are represented in the top five and ties: United States (five), Argentina (one) and China (one).
• Tommy Cocha (Argentina) is the low Latin after 18 holes, after carding a 7-under 63 on Thursday.
• Hole No. 1, the 363-yard par-4, played as the easiest hole in the first round (-0.429 strokes under par).
• Hole No. 14, the 237-yard par-3, played as the toughest hole at Ambassador Golf Club in the first round (+0.321 strokes over par).