CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center
Cragun’s Legacy Course| Brainerd, Minnesota | August 28-31, 2025
Third-Round Notes – August 30, 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) | 63-62-66 – 191 (-22) |
| T2 | Michael Brennan (United States) | 65-66-64 – 195 (-18) |
| T2 | Grant Booth (Australia) | 62-66-67 – 195 (-18) |
| T4 | Jake Peacock (United States) | 69-65-62 – 196 (-17) |
| T4 | Andy Zhang (China) | 65-66-65 – 196 (-17) |
Brainerd, Minnesota – Minnesota native Derek Hitcher extended his lead at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center to four strokes after carding a 5-under 66 in the third round. Michael Brennan joins Grant Booth at T2, after carding a 7-under 64 on Saturday.
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 54-hole lead at Cragun’s Legacy Course. Hitchner took the lead after carding a 9-under 62 on Friday, which included a 6-under 29 on the back nine. The Minnesota native followed up his low-round with a bogey-free 5-under 66 and has yet to make a bogey through 54-holes.
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.
Hitchner and Brennan will play in the final group together for the second time this season, after playing together on Sunday at the BioSteel Championship, where Brennan secured his first victory as a professional. Final round tee times are expected to begin at 7:30 a.m. and will run until 12:34 p.m. in threesomes off the No. 1 tee.
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/-22)
- First win would come at the age of 25 years, 10 months and 28 days
- 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; R3 average: 67.741
Weather: Sunny with a high of 77. Wind from the south at 2-5 mph with gusts up to 10 mph.
- Derek Hitchner holds the solo 54-hole lead after carding a 5-under 66 in the third round, after tying his career-low on Friday. Hitchner leads by four strokes heading into Saturday’s third round.
- Fortinet Cup No. 1 Michael Brennan is T2 after carding a 7-under 64 on Saturday and will start Sunday at 18-under.
- Carson Bacha, Chris Francoeur, and Herman Wibe Sekne led the field in birdies made on Saturday, with 9.
- 69 players carded rounds under par on Friday, with 59 players recording sub-70 rounds.
- Hole No. 18, the 565-yard par-5, played as the easiest hole in the third round (-0.675 strokes under par).
- Hole No. 15, the 220-yard par-3, played as the toughest hole at Cragun’s Legacy Course in the third round (+0.075 strokes over par).