CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center
Craguns Legacy Course| Brainerd, Minnesota | August 28-31, 2025
Second-Round Notes – August 29, 2025
PGA TOUR Americas 2025 Season: 13th of 16 events
- Segment II: 7th of 10 events
Fortinet Cup Points: 500 (winner)
Purse: $225,000 ($40,500 winner)
| Pos. | Player | Score |
| 1 | Derek Hitchner (United States) | 63-62 – 125 (-17) |
| T2 | Thomas Ponder (United States) | 64-64 – 128 (-14) |
| T2 | Grant Booth (Australia) | 62-66 – 128 (-14) |
| T4 | Chase Sienkiewicz (United States) | 64-65 – 129 (-13) |
| T4 | J.M. Butler (United States) | 65-64 – 129 (-13) |
Brainerd, Minnesota – Minnesota native Derek Hitcher took a three-stroke lead at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center after carding a 9-under 62 in the second round. Hitchner has played his first 36-holes at Cragun’s Legacy Course bogey-free and is T1 in birdies made with 17.
Thomas Ponder and first-round leader Grant Booth trail Hitchner at 14-under and sit at T2 after 36-holes.
Hitchner entered the week at No. 61 in the Fortinet Cup, and had missed five cuts in his last six starts before taking sole possession of the 36-hole lead. Hitchner’s 9-under 62 on Friday, which included a 6-under 29 on the back nine, is his new low-round of the season, and ties his career-low round from the second round of the 2023 Fortinet Cup Championship.
Hitchner is making his third start at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center. The Minneapolis native’s best finish in Brainerd came in 2023, where he finished T34. Hitchner played collegiately at Pepperdine University and was named the Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year in 2021.
Eighty-one players made the cut at 6-under or better, with 111 players carding sub-70 rounds. Third round tee times are expected to run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in twosomes off the No. 1 tee, with Hitchner and Ponder making up the final group.
Charting the Leader
| Name | Derek Hitchner |
| 2025 Fortinet Cup Standings | No. 61 |
| Age/Birthplace | 25/Summit, NJ |
| Residence | Minneapolis, MN |
| College | Pepperdine |
| Turned Pro | 2023 |
About Derek Hitchner (1st/-17)
- Holds sole possession of the 36-hole lead for the first time this season after tying a career-low 9-under 62 in the second round; matches career-low from second round of 2023 Fortinet Cup Championship.
- Making his 29th start across PGA TOUR Americas after turning professional in 2023. Making his third start at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center; best finish came in 2023 (T34).
- During his senior season at Pepperdine, Hitchner was named to the West Coast Conference First-Team in 2023 and earned Co-Player of the Year in honors.
- Named the Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year after winning the Minnesota Amateur Championship in 2021.
- Was the 2017 Minnesota Golf Association Junior Boys Player of the Year.
Competition Notes
Course Setup: Par 71 / 7,022 yards; R2 average: 67.891
Weather: Sunny with a high of 75. Wind from the ESE at 1-5 mph with gusts up to 13 mph.
- Derek Hitchner holds the solo 36-hole lead after carding a 9-under 62 in the second round, tying his career-low. Hitchner leads by three strokes heading into Saturday’s third round.
- Fortinet Cup No. 1 Michael Brennan is T6 after carding a 5-under 66 in the second round.
- John DuBois made an albatross on hole No. 5, the 541-yard par-5. DuBois is the second player to make a two on No, 5, joining Brendon Doyle, who did the same in the first round.
- Drew Doyle led the field in birdies made on Friday, with 11.
- 81 players made the cut at 6-under or better.
- 134 players carded rounds under par on Friday, with 111 players recording sub-70 rounds.
- Hole No. 5, the 541-yard par-5, played as the easiest hole in the second round (-0.683 strokes under par).
- Hole No. 15, the 220-yard par-3, played as the toughest hole at Cragun’s Legacy Course in the second round (+0.205 strokes over par).