Brennan wins Bank of Utah Championship to earn full PGA Tour status

Michael Brennan completed a rapid rise from sponsor exemption to PGA Tour champion Sunday, closing with a 5-under 66 to win the Bank of Utah Championship by four shots at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. The 23-year-old former Wake Forest standout finished at 22-under 262 and collected the $1,080,000 winner’s share after four rounds played amid frequent delays and two days of darkness suspensions.

Brennan opened with rounds of 67 and 65, then posted a 64 in the third round that extended a lead he would carry into Sunday. He made a 40-foot eagle on the par-5 ninth during the second round and birdied five of the first nine holes in the final round to put distance between himself and the field. Rico Hoey finished second at 18-under, with a large group including David Ford, Ben Silverman and defending champion Matt McCarty sharing third at 16-under.

Playing on a sponsor exemption and making only his third PGA Tour start and his first as a professional, Brennan’s victory guarantees him full PGA Tour status for two seasons. It also secures exemptions into several high-profile tournaments, including an entry to the PGA Championship and the RBC Heritage, and provides 500 FedEx Cup...