Tag: Michael Brennan

Old Halloween photo, Rickie Fowler costume led Michael Brennan to an unforgettable match with Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas at the 2023 U.S. Open

Fowler autographed the photo and wrote, “look forward to playing a practice round with you at the 2025 U.S. Open!”

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LOS ANGELES – Like most kids his age, Michael Brennan was a huge Rickie Fowler fan growing up.

In fact, the rising senior at Wake Forest dressed up as Fowler – decked out in orange Puma gear with a wig, of course – for Halloween when he was nine years old. Brennan’s father had a friend who works for Fowler’s agency and sent him the photo.

Fowler autographed and wrote the following on the picture: “To Mike. Look forward to playing a practice round with you at the 2025 U.S. Open! Keep up the good work!!”

On Tuesday, Brennan played a practice round with not only Fowler, but in a match alongside him against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas ahead of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

“He’s an overachiever,” joked Fowler.

“I would still love to do it in 2025 as well, that means I’m playing in the U.S. Open,” added Brennan.

U.S. Open: Leaderboard, tee times, hole-by-hole

Fowler’s agent filled him in and pieced together the past, and then put the two in a group text when Brennan survived final qualifying for the third men’s major of the year.

“I wanted to try and make it happen. We were looking at maybe Wednesday and then I was playing with Jordan and JT on Tuesday, asked the guys if we have a fourth for Tuesday and they said no,” said Fowler. “I was like, ‘Alright, I got one,’ so it was it was cool to not only bring him to play with me and go full circle from taking a picture and signing that back in the day to him and I playing.”

Brennan didn’t just play with the three pros, he made a birdie putt on No. 9 to seal the deal and win the match for him and Fowler.

“Pretty cool. I don’t know how else to describe it. I played alright, but we had a good match, it was always close,” said Brennan. “Those are the guys that I watch on TV play golf all the time and I looked up to Rickie as a kid and wanted to get out here and play with him. He was able to make that happen and set up a great match for us, super grateful and pretty cool.”

“The week’s been unbelievable already and we haven’t even played a tournament round,” added Brennan. “So I’m just trying to soak it all in and hopefully compete well on Thursday.”

The story goes even further because when Fowler was a kid, he dressed up as one of his favorite players, as well.

“Yeah, throwback to when I dressed up as (Fred Couples), and then getting to be around Freddie quite a bit through team events and getting to play with him, sometimes when I’m in Southern California we’ll play at Big Canyon. It’s cool, especially when you look up to guys and get to meet them, get to know them and you end up even liking them more. I’m glad he got to spend some time with JT and Jordan, as well.”

Come the 2035 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, maybe Brennan will get to continue the tradition for the next generation.

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Genesis Invitational: Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed among the notables to miss the cut at Riviera

The top 10 players in the world started the week at Riviera Country Club. Only one won’t play the weekend.

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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — The Genesis Invitational started with all of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking headlining a stacked lineup.

After 36 holes, nine of them have moved on to the weekend, with only the No. 6-ranked player heading home early from the venerable Riviera Country Club, the final stop on the PGA Tour’s 2022 West Coast Swing.

Three others in the top ten—Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay and Hideki Matsuyama—made the cut on the number, which came in at even par. Rahm buried a six-footer for par on 18 to make but he did see his streak of 34 consecutive rounds of par or better come to an end after shooting a 73.

Here’s a closer look at some of the big names slamming their trunks on their courtesy cars before the sun sets on Sunset Boulevard.

‘Pretty dang cool’: Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan earns spot in Tiger Woods’ event after winning Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase

How does a golfer who’s never played Riviera Country Club shoot a 5-under 66?

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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — How does a golfer who’s never played Riviera Country Club shoot a 5-under 66, with his only bogeys coming off three-putts, to win the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase, in the process earning a spot in the Genesis Invitational?

It’s simple.

“I drove it straight today, that helps a lot,” said Wake Forest sophomore Michael Brennan, the second Demon Deacon to win the event in its eight-year history.

He was also driving it long.

“He moves it,” said former Wake Forest golfer and the winner of the first Showcase in 2015, Will Zalatoris, who played in his group. “I’ve obviously gained some distance and he was hitting it 10, 15 [yards] by me. I’m one of the longer drivers on Tour and he’s hitting it by me, so, especially on a 7,300-yard golf course, that helps a lot.”

The one-day, 18-hole event had a 17-player field, its largest yet. Brennan is the second Demon Deacon to win it and Wake Forest is the first school to produce two winners. Brennan, a sophomore who’s won four times already in college, is just like many others in this next wave of young golfers.

“It’s kind of the same thing you’re seeing now on the Tour: no one’s scared,” said Zalatoris. “We saw Tiger do it and we’re seeing a lot of other guys follow his footsteps.

“He shot, what, 66 today, on a golf course that I would argue is probably one of the tougher regular-season events all year, so that’s pretty cool to see.”

Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase
Wake Forest golfer Michael Brennan hugs former Wake Forest golfer Will Zalatoris after their round in the 2022 Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase at Riviera Country Club. (Photo: Conner Penfold/amateurgolf.com)

Brennan opened with a birdie and made the turn in 33. He then went birdie-eagle-bogey-birdie on Nos. 10-13. He had one final birdie on No. 16  to win by two over RJ Manke of Washington (68) and by three over both David Puig of Arizona State (69) and Soren Lind of San Francisco (69). Those four were the only golfers to break par.

Jason Gore, the U.S. Golf Association’s Managing Director of Player Relations, played with Puig and sees the same things Zalatoris does in these young players.

“I just see maturity. They’re just so far ahead of where we were,” Gore said. “Better trained. Talk about equipment all you want but they know… they’re better fit, they’re bigger, stronger, faster. They know how to, they’re just well-trained, even with putting chipping… really fun to watch.”

Jerry Haas, Wake Forest’s head coach, caddied for Brennan Monday.

“He’s almost a pro in how he conducts himself,” he said. “He’s a really good kid. I’m lucky to have him.”

Fellow former Wake Forest golfer Cameron Young played the Showcase three years ago and said he shot 80.

“I got to come play in this my senior year. I was playing with Bill Haas. It was snowing in Winstom-Salem [North Carolina], so I hadn’t played any golf. I had putted inside, I had hit some balls off a mat and I got to the first tee with Bill Haas, who obviously is our head coach’s nephew, their very close and all that. I was intimidated. I was nervous. And it’s not the most fun first tee shot either. It’s Riviera Country Club, off a cliff. It’s quite an experience.”

As for Brennan, he gets to stick around sunny Los Angeles for at least four more days. After a couple days of practice rounds, the Genesis Invitational starts on Thursday.

“My favorite golfer is Tiger Woods. To be playing in his event is pretty dang cool. Maybe I’ll get to see him out here this week.”

Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase winners

Year Winner School
2022 Michael Brennan Wake Forest
2021 Angus Flanagan Minnesota
2020 Sean Yu San Jose State
2019 Lukas Euler Kentucky
2018 Scottie Scheffler Texas
2017 Sahith Theegala Pepperdine
2016 Charlie Danielson Illinois
2015 Will Zalatoris Wake Forest

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Notre Dame’s Palmer Jackson extends Jones Cup Invitational lead

It’s the Irish golfer’s tournament to lose.

After ending the first round of the Jones Cup Invitational with a one-shot lead, Notre Dame’s Palmer Jackson hoped he could stay at the top. Not only did he do that to end the second round, but he ended the day with a bigger lead than what he started with. He shot a 2-under-par 69 and now has a five-stroke lead with a score of 9-under for the championship.

Jackson made four birdies and two bogeys in the second round, but it was the struggles of second-place golfer Michael Brennan of Wake Forest that really opened things up. Brennan shot a 1-over 73 for the round as he bogeyed five times, wiping off the progress made by his four birdies. With such a big lead, it’s Jackson’s tournament to lose.

Davis Chatfield, Notre Dame’s other golfer in the field, finished with an even 72. He overcome a double bogey and bogey on the fourth and fifth holes to birdie three times the rest of the way. At 2-over for the tournament, he is in a four-way tie for 20th.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame’s Palmer Jackson leads at Jones Cup Invitational

Keep an eye on the links this weekend.

College golf might be on hiatus right now, but that doesn’t mean players aren’t competing. In fact, one Notre Dame golfer is doing quite well right now. Palmer Jackson shot a 6-under-par 66 at the Jones Cup Invitational to give himself a one-shot lead at the end of the first round. Just behind Jackson is Michael Brennan of Wake Forest.

On the first day of the annual amateur tournament at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia, Palmer got off to a hot start with three straight birdies. He stayed at 3-under until making an eagle on the 10th hole. Later on the back nine, he alternated between bogeys and birdies on four consecutive holes. His birdie on the 18th gave him his final first-round score.

Also competing in the 54-hole tournament is Notre Dame’s Davis Chatfield. He shot a 2-over 74 to tie for 39th with seven other players. A double bogey on the seventh prevented him from finishing with even par.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Men’s college golf player of the week: Michael Brennan, Wake Forest

Thanks to consecutive wins, Wake Forest freshman Michael Brennan has earned the title of men’s college golf Player of the Week.

It’s hard enough to win a golf tournament, let alone a college tournament in your freshman year.

To that, Michael Brennan says hold my trophies.

The Wake Forest freshman from Leesburg, Virginia, won his second consecutive tournament of the season last week, claiming the Wake Forest Invitational at Pinehurst No. 2 at 5 under thanks to rounds of 71-66-68. Brennan led the Demon Deacons to the team title at Pinehurst, as well. Wake Forest was the lone team to finish under par at 6 under, nine shots clear of runner-up North Carolina.

Brennan also won last month’s Kiawah Invitational at 16 under with three consecutive sub-70 rounds. In four college starts, Brennan has finished T-5, T-2, 1, 1.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual
College golf blog: The Road to Grayhawk

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Wake Forest, freshman Michael Brennan earn milestone wins at Kiawah Invitational

Wake Forest men’s golf and freshman Michael Brennan earned a pair of milestone wins at the Kiawah Invitational.

It was a week of milestones for Wake Forest this week at the Kiawah Invitational.

Freshman Michael Brennan had a tournament — and final round — to remember, finishing atop the leaderboard at 16 under after a 7-under 65 on Tuesday, leading his Demon Deacons to their first win of the season and the first of his collegiate career.

Wake Forest took the team title at an impressive 37 under, nine shots clear of runner-up Clemson at 28 under. Kentucky finished third (25 under), followed by East Tennessee State (24 under) and UNC Wilmington and Iowa (T-5, 14 under).

Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

“What a great team win for our guys. I told somebody last week that we are an explosive bunch with a long way to go, but when we get it going we make a lot of birdies,” said head coach Jerry Haas, who earned his 40th career victory at the helm in Winston Salem. “That is exactly what we did this week.”

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Michael Brennan wins Maridoe Junior Invitational in final junior golf start

Michael Brennan will go out of junior golf on top. The Leesburg, Virginia, native won the Maridoe Junior Invitational on Thursday.

Michael Brennan will go out of junior golf on top. The Leesburg, Virginia, native won the Maridoe Junior Invitational on Thursday in his last outing at this level. By the time he comes back to Maridoe next month for the Southern Amateur, he’ll be on the way to the next rung of competitive golf.

Brennan, a Wake Forest signee and the No. 15-ranked player in the Golfweek Junior Rankings, brought a three-shot cushion to the final hole at Maridoe, a tough layout near Dallas that demands precision. He plugged his approach in a greenside bunker at No. 18 and ended up with double bogey. A closing round of 69 still left him at even par and with a one-shot win.

Scores: Maridoe Junior Invitational

Last month, Brennan was one of eight juniors in a 82-man Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational 2.0 that predominantly featured professionals and college players. He was 3 over for those 54 holes and finished T-31.

“I think a lot of it is because I love the golf course,” he said of his good play in his past two tournaments at Maridoe. “I think it’s super fun, it’s difficult and it’s very demanding on your iron play into the green. You have to be pretty accurate into the green. That’s typically my strong suit.”

Brennan birdied three of his first five holes on Thursday and four of his first nine. He calls the stretch from Nos. 10-15 the hardest on the golf course – you’re hitting mid-irons into the green, he said, as opposed to wedges – but played those holes in even par thanks to two birdies and two bogeys.

“I thought I played really well today. I hit the ball solid for most of the round and I got off to a good start, which was really important,” he said.

Luke Clanton, the first-round leader, gave Brennan reason to sweat on the back nine when he birdied four of his first five holes after the turn. It wasn’t quite enough after going 4 over on the front,

Clanton, a high school sophomore from Miami Lakes, Florida, ultimately finished third at 2 over. Texas native Zach Heffernan also had a final-round 69 to finish second.

Luke Potter, the best-ranked player in the field at No. 3 in the Golfweek Junior Rankings, finished eighth at 8 over. Jacob Sosa, the low junior from the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational 2.0, tied for ninth with Frankie Harris a shot back.

Ideally, Brennan could have ended his junior career at the U.S. Junior, but that was canceled because of the coronavirus. As Brennan said, “it is what it is.”

“It was a good way to finish it,” he said of his junior finale.

Maridoe will also host the Southern Amateur in July, and Brennan will be in the field for that. It will be the start of a planned three-week stretch of golf that will include the Sunnehanna Amateur and the Western Amateur, events that all typically draw elite fields.

The top three players in the Maridoe Junior not already into the Southern Amateur earned an exemption on Thursday. That included Heffernan, Clanton and Clay Merchant, who finished fourth.

Brennan hopes his win at the Maridoe Junior Invite helps bump his position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. That can only help his hope to secure an invite to the U.S. Amateur in August. The USGA nixed qualifying for the event in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Otherwise, it’s full steam ahead to Wake Forest, where Brennan will start in the fall.

“Just trying to prepare and get ready for Wake Forest,” he said of his summer goals. “Super excited to play with the team.”