Brennan’s Meteoric Rise, Australia Claims Crown, and Junghwan Lee Wins on Home Soil
In this week’s “The Starter,” PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, gives his thoughts on the week that was in golf for R.org. From Brennan’s remarkable leap to the PGA TOUR to Team Australia’s redemption in Korea, it was a week that reminded us why this sport continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
PGA TOUR: Brennan Rewrites the Rulebook at Black Desert
Michael Brennan didn’t just win the Bank of Utah Championship. He obliterated the traditional pathway to professional golf’s pinnacle.
The 23-year-old Wake Forest alum closed with a 5-under 66 at Black Desert Resort to finish at 22-under 262. Four strokes clear of Rico Hoey. A two-year PGA TOUR exemption in just his third career start and first as a professional. More remarkably, the victory came as a sponsor exemption, making Brennan the first sponsor invite to win since Nick Dunlap captured The American Express as an amateur in January 2024.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Brennan said after his triumph. “Winning golf tournaments is one of the better feelings in the world. It takes a lot to play professional golf, and I have such a great team behind me.”
The victory’s implications are staggering. Brennan bypasses the Korn Ferry Tour entirely (the developmental circuit where he’d earned fully exempt status after dominating PGA TOUR Americas with three victories in a four-tournament stretch during the summer). Instead, he’ll compete alongside Scottie Scheffler and golf’s elite in 2026. Exemptions into THE PLAYERS Championship, the PGA Championship, and the RBC Heritage included.
Starting the final round with a three-shot advantage, Brennan displayed the poise of a seasoned veteran rather than a tour rookie. Three birdies in his opening five holes stretched his lead to five shots. When Hoey closed within three after a two-shot swing at the 10th, Brennan responded emphatically.
On the par-5 12th, he unleashed a drive that rolled out 411 yards down by the green — pitch and putt birdie. At the drivable par-4 14th, he reached the green with a 3-wood for a two-putt birdie that effectively ended the competition. His only blemish came at the 18th, where his second shot found a deep pit with lava rocks, forcing an unplayable lie and closing bogey. No matter. He’d already secured his place in golf history.
Brennan led the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee for the week. The combination of power and precision propelled him from No. 681 in the world at the end of 2024 to a projected ranking as high as No. 47 this next update. With three FedExCup Fall events remaining and the top 50 in the world earning Masters invitations, Augusta National suddenly looms as a realistic possibility.
“I can’t believe he’s right,” Brennan said with a laugh, referencing his caddie Jeff Kirkpatrick’s prediction during the summer that they’d skip the Korn Ferry Tour entirely.
Hoey’s runner-up finish (his second career top-two result) moved him to No. 61 in the FedExCup Fall standings, securing his card for 2026 after posting top-10 finishes in three of four fall events. Defending champion Matt McCarty finished in a six-way tie for third at 16-under, posting the second-best result by a defending champion this season behind Scottie Scheffler’s Memorial Tournament victory.
LPGA Tour: Australia’s Redemption
Australia claimed the 2025 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in dramatic fashion at New Korea Country Club. They exorcised the demons of their runner-up finish to Thailand in 2023.
Minjee Lee and Hannah Green delivered the decisive blows in singles matches against Team USA. Lee defeated Angel Yin 2 and 1. Green closed out Yealimi Noh by the same margin to secure the title. The foursomes match between Stephanie Kyriacou and Grace Kim against Lilia Vu and Lauren Coughlin became inconsequential when Green drained a birdie putt on the 17th hole to clinch victory.
“My putt on the last hole, I was very nervous,” Green admitted. “I knew exactly what it was for. I said to the girls, I was just happy I got on the board. I’m glad I could contribute in some way this week.”
Lee’s performance throughout the week earned her MVP honors after posting a remarkable 4-0-1 record. As the only athlete to compete in every edition of the biennial competition without winning, the triumph carried special significance.
“I’m really excited that we were able to win all together,” Lee said. “I think it’s even sweeter because I could do it with all of these girls. Obviously, we all played with a lot of grit and a lot of perseverance and resilience this week.”
The path to the finals tested Australia’s resolve. In their semifinal against the World Team, Grace Kim made a critical birdie putt on the 18th hole to force extra holes. The Aussies closed out their opponents on the 20th hole to advance.
DP World Tour: Lee’s Dream Week on Home Soil
Junghwan Lee authored a storybook ending at the Genesis Championship — a victory on home soil with a tournament-record 7-under 64 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.
The 34-year-old South Korean began the final round four shots behind joint leaders Mikael Lindberg and Nacho Elvira. His challenge appeared doomed when he bogeyed the second hole. Instead, Lee reeled off five consecutive birdies from the third to catapult up the leaderboard.
“I feel like I’m in a dream, I still can’t believe I won,” Lee said. “On 12 I had a tee-shot miss and I thought I was done there, but I was able to save that ball, and that’s when I thought the tables are turning and the gods are looking down on me.”
His back-nine brilliance continued with birdies at the 14th and 18th (his fourth consecutive final-round birdie at the closing hole this week) to set the clubhouse target at 11-under par. Elvira, who had led at 10-under playing the final holes, stumbled with bogeys at the 17th and 18th to hand Lee a three-stroke victory.
The triumph earns Lee DP World Tour membership and a coveted spot in next month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the opening event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs. England’s Laurie Canter eagled the 18th with a spectacular 100-foot putt to share second place with Elvira at 8-under.
The Bigger Picture
Michael Brennan rewrote the pathway to the PGA TOUR. Exceptional talent can fast-track traditional development curves. Australia claimed International Crown redemption while Junghwan Lee achieved his DP World Tour dream on home soil.
Golf in its purest form: emerging stars announcing their arrival, established champions finding their form, and underdogs seizing their moments on the world’s biggest stages.