275: From PGA Tour Americas heartbreak to PGA Tour win: Michael Brennan on his journey to victory in Utah

Nov 3, 2025

Michael Brennan, a recent PGA TOUR winner and former Wake Forest standout, shares his journey from heartache to triumph. He discusses the importance of resetting after his victory and the training that boosted his clubhead speed to an impressive 135 mph. Michael opens up about lessons learned from a devastating collapse in Toronto and how analytics now guide his course strategy. Plus, he recounts a wild near-abduction story during his travels in PGA TOUR Americas, adding a touch of drama to his incredible golf narrative.

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ADVICE

Copy Lower-Body Cues From Elites

Study elite swings (Rory, Scotty) to identify specific lower-body and ground-force cues you can adopt.
Work on staying loaded on the right side and shifting left through impact to improve hip sequencing.

ADVICE

Train For Clubhead Speed Safely

Develop speed with targeted training and a coach who understands golf biomechanics.
Work with trainers (TPI-style) to add clubhead speed safely and gain distance over time.

ANECDOTE

Heartbreak In Toronto

Brennan had a four-shot lead in Toronto but collapsed with a double and a quadruple late to miss Korn Ferry status.
The collapse left him determined and shaped his offseason focus for the next season.

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Smylie Kaufman catches up with newly-minted PGA TOUR winner (and card recipient!) Michael Brennan about the whirlwind since his Bank of Utah Championship win: a week off to reset, the celebration at River Creek in Leesburg, and how a painful late collapse in Canada shaped his Sunday mindset in Utah.

Michael also breaks down the training he did to reach 135 mph of clubhead speed, the detailed tracking app he uses to strategize at golf courses he's never played before, and tells a wild near-abduction story while traveling to a PGA TOUR Americas event.

This is a must-watch for anyone chasing the dream — from junior golfers to aspiring pros.

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#Golf #PGATour #TheSmylieShow #MichaelBrennan #GolfPodcast #SmylieKaufman

00:00 – Smylie welcomes PGA TOUR winner Michael Brennan
01:00 – Processing the win and fan support at home
03:00 – Learning to reset after victory
04:00 – Early recruitment and choosing Wake Forest
06:00 – Building speed and power in college
09:00 – Lessons from Rory and Scotty’s swings
10:00 – From average junior to 190 mph ball speeds
12:00 – Winning eight times in college — and the ups & downs
15:00 – Managing expectations and burnout as a young golfer
17:00 – Missing Korn Ferry status by one spot
19:00 – Crushing disappointment in Toronto and how it shaped him
22:00 – The collapse: five-shot lead turned nightmare
25:00 – What he learned — and how it fueled his next season
26:00 – Deep dive: Using “UpGame” analytics to train smarter
30:00 – How data changed his golf strategy
32:00 – Working with his caddie Jeff and modern prep for PGA TOUR
33:00 – Nightmare travel story: “I thought I was being abducted in Rio”
41:00 – How playing at elevation prepared him for Utah
43:00 – Meeting his caddie and building trust on the road
45:00 – Getting a last-minute sponsor’s exemption to Utah
47:00 – Closing it out under pressure — redemption for Toronto
50:00 – Lessons from Smylie’s own first win
51:00 – Michael’s next steps — moving to Jacksonville, prepping for 2025
52:30 – Smylie’s final thoughts & Brennan’s message to fans