What a difference a year can make.
Just last summer, Michael Brennan was walking the fairways at Cragun’s Legacy Courses, battling for the title at the 2025 CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center. Today, he’s a PGA TOUR champion once again. This time at the Wyndham Championship.
Brennan captured the Wyndham Championship on Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina, closing with a 6-under 64 and making five consecutive birdies during his final round to pull away from the field.
For those of us at Cragun’s, watching Brennan continue his rise makes the victory even more special.
A Champion at Cragun’s
Brennan arrived at the 2025 CRMC Championship already enjoying an impressive season on PGA TOUR Americas, but he had plenty of work to do heading into the final round at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Starting Sunday four shots back, Brennan fired an 8-under 63 to catch Minnesota native Derek Hitchner and force a playoff. On the first extra hole — the par-5 18th — Brennan made par to claim the championship and take home the tournament’s signature Paul Bunyan Axe trophy.
It was Brennan’s second victory of the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season and another major step forward in what quickly became a remarkable year.
And he wasn’t finished.
Later that fall, Brennan earned his third PGA TOUR Americas victory and a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. Then, in November, he made an even bigger leap by winning the Bank of Utah Championship in just his third career PGA TOUR start.
Less than a year after lifting the axe at Cragun’s, Brennan has now added another PGA TOUR victory to his growing résumé.
Another Chapter in the CRMC Championship Story
Brennan’s journey is exactly what makes the CRMC Championship such a special week in the Brainerd Lakes Area.
Each summer, some of professional golf’s rising stars come to Cragun’s Legacy Courses chasing an opportunity to take the next step in their careers. For fans, volunteers and sponsors, it’s a chance to experience professional golf up close and perhaps watch a future PGA TOUR winner before the rest of the golf world knows his name.
Brennan isn’t the first CRMC Champion to make that leap, either.
2022 CRMC Champion Jake Knapp went on to win the Mexico Open at Vidanta on the PGA TOUR in 2024. Frederik Kjettrup, our 2024 champion, earned immediate promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour after his third PGA TOUR Americas victory that season.
Now Brennan adds another chapter to that tradition.
Congratulations, Michael!
From winning the Paul Bunyan Axe at Cragun’s to winning on the PGA TOUR, it has been incredible to watch Michael Brennan’s journey continue.
Congratulations to our 2025 CRMC Champion on another tremendous victory. We’ll always be proud to say that one stop along the way came right here at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
And who knows?
The next PGA TOUR winner might be teeing it up at Cragun’s very soon.