Brennan Catches Minnesota's Hitchner, Survives Playoff to Win CRMC Championship at Cragun's

  BRAINERD, Minn. – Erasing a four-stroke deficit entering Sunday’s final round, Michael Brennan carded an 8-under 63 and emerged from a one-hole playoff at Cragun’s Legacy Courses to claim the 2025 CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center.

Entering the week No. 1 in the Fortinet Cup standings, Brennan outlasted 54-hole leader and Minnesotan Derek Hitchner by sinking a short par putt on the first playoff hole to capture his second win of the season.

“I think it's more experience,” Brennan said Sunday. “You know, with the lead, around the lead, I felt comfortable for the most part today. I kind of knew I was going to make some birdies, I've been playing good, I felt like I've been rolling the ball well on the greens. Just trying to stay patient. I mean, [Hitchner] played a really, clean round, he only made one bogey. It's tough playing against someone that you know is not going to really make too many mistakes.”

Brennan’s first career victory earlier this season came at the BioSteel Championship in Canada earlier this month, where he entered the final round with a four-stroke lead over Hitchner and cruised to a four-stroke victory with a final-round 64.

“I felt I did a very good job of staying composed and committing to the shots that I hit,” Brennan said. “I got a little out of rhythm in the playoff for sure certainly, but it's not unique to me. That's what my dad always told me when I talked to him about it, I was so nervous. Like, you're not the only one that's feeling that—everyone else is feeling that, too.

“Just trying to stay in it as best we can, and it's tough. I kind of got a little side‑tracked in the playoff, but just glad I was able to get it done.”

A native of Leesburg, Va., the 23-year-old Brennan opened the championship with rounds of 65 and 66, respectively, before shooting a 7-under 64 during Saturday’s third round to pull within four shots of Hitchner.

Sinking four birdie chances during his inward nine, Brennan moved to 20-under for the championship before tallying four more birdies over his first seven holes of the back nine to take the outright lead at 26-under.

Following a Hitchner birdie at the 18th to force extra holes, Brennan capitalized on a Hitchner miscue on the first playoff hole to secure his second win in three weeks.

Coming up short of his first career victory, the silver lining for Hitchner is his sizable leap in the Fortinet Cup standings with three events left on the 2025 calendar. Players finishing inside the top-10 at season’s end earn a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour for 2026.

“Obviously 500 points would’ve gone a very long way, but it gets me significantly closer to [the top-10] being more attainable,” said Hitchner, who jumped 40 spots to 21st in the standings with his runner-up finish this week. “Going into this week, I was looking at the top-80 mark just so I could retain status here.

“It’s encouraging that I can produce golf like this because I haven’t felt very close to that for much of the year.”

Despite missing five cuts over his last six starts entering the week, Hitchner notched a top-10 finish in late May before he placed 14th at the BioSteel Championship three weeks ago.

A former Blake School standout, Hitchner, now 27-years-old, played 60 holes of bogey-free golf in his home state, opening with a career-low 63 Thursday before setting a new mark with a 62 Friday, going on to finish at 26-under par 258 for the best finish of his career.

“Playing with [Brennan], I kind of assumed that I’d need to shoot at least four or 5-under, and that ended up being the case,” Hitchner said. “I felt like I played nicely, but didn’t make as many putts as I did the first three days. I gave myself chances—it’s crazy that 26-under with one bogey isn’t enough, but that’s a testament to how amazing of a player he is.

"Being able to sleep on a lead Friday and then again going into today. Played really well, just wish I could’ve done a little bit more today.”

American Thomas Ponder carded the low round of the week during his final-round Sunday, a 10-under 61, to move up seven spots into sole possession of third place at 25-under 259.

Former prep star while at Minnetonka High School, 2024 Minnesota State Open champion Carson Herron fired a final-round 68 Sunday to finish in a share of 11th place at 19-under 265, while fellow Skipper Gunnar Broin placed 49th at 13-under 271.

Andrew Israelson tallied seven birdies against one bogey during his final round Sunday to finish tied for 28th at 16-under 268.