Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

The weather earlier this week was UGLY. Glad we seem to have snapped back to more pleasant fall playing conditions this weekend, but if that was a glimpse of what winter has in store, I don’t think I’m ready!

Our lead story this week comes from the… PGA Tour?!? We don’t usually prioritize professional golf in this here publication, but a breakout win from a former ACC star caught our attention last weekend. Don’t worry - the rest of the agenda will cover tournaments that actually matter, as in local amateur events, club championships, and the like. We also have the results from our new subscriber giveaway, which we mindlessly forgot to include in last week’s 2DP. Firing the editor as we speak, but let’s get straight to the action.

…but before we do, shoutout to subscriber and early 2DP Q&A guest John Eades for qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Four-Ball with partner Matt Schall! John was an early supporter of this newsletter, so we’re stoked to see him qualify for his 10th USGA championship.

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINE

Wake Forest's Brennan Wins Bank of Utah Championship, Secures PGA Tour Card

Teeing it up as a sponsor exemption, Michael Brennan cruised to a 4-shot victory at Black Desert Resort in what was only his 3rd PGA Tour start. The 23-year-old, who won 8 individual events in college including back-to-back ACC championships, blew the field away with his driving prowess, finishing 1st for the week in strokes gained off-the-tee and frequently eclipsing 190 ball speed (!).

Status check: 4 months ago, Brennan was grinding through his 2nd season on PGA Tour Americas after graduating from Wake in 2024. Since then, he’s been one of the hottest players in the world, having already secured a battlefield promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour after 3 Americas wins in 4 starts in August/September. His W in Utah locks up his PGA Tour status for the next 2 years, and his skyrocketing world ranking (up to 43rd in OWGR) could mean a slot in all 4 majors in 2026.

Rivalry reborn: Brennan wasn’t the only recent ACC grad in the mix in Utah, as UNC’s David Ford also grabbed a top 5 finish. 18 months ago, I followed Brennan and Ford during their ACC semifinal match at Charlotte Country Club, not realizing I was watching 2 future PGA Tour-level talents. Fun to see these guys reignite their college rivalry at the next level - super bullish on both to do big things (and I’m not the only one).

TOURNAMENTS

Old Town Club Continues Parrish Cup Run

OTC nearly swept Sunday singles in the annual team competition with cross-town rival Forsyth Country Club. The eventual winners held a small lead (4.5-3.5) after a closely contested day 1 at FCC, but used home course advantage to the fullest the following day to secure 14 of 16 possible points.

This victory continued a recent era of Old Town dominance in the event and brought the all time score to OTC 23 - FCC 17.

The blueprint: I have no clue why this format isn’t replicated more - everything about it is fun! The local rivalry, seeing who qualifies for the team, the matches themselves - we just need more events like this, especially in Charlotte where there are so many fun potential matchups.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to Andrew Furr on winning the 2025 Twilight Golf Club Championship last week at Holly Ridge Golf Links! After 27 holes of match play, he fended off 13 other flight winners in what was the biggest Club Championship to date. In a year where he played in the U.S. Four-Ball and multiple CGA championships, I have a feeling this one will go down as his most memorable event of the year!

The winners haul included a Jones carry bag, a custom pin flag from Johnston Gray Designs, a persimmon wood, and a handmade trophy from Ryan Thomas at Five Wood Furniture Company.

The TGC event schedule for 2025 has finally come to a close, which means you have ~5 months to get involved and make sure you’re eligible for next season’s slate! Read more about TGC’s history and mission in the recent Carolinas Golf feature story and visit the club’s website for membership information.

STORIES TO TRACK

Golf Boom and Membership Demand Fuels Asset Growth at Charlotte Clubs: Charlotte Business Journal recently released a summary of reported assets for each of the city’s non-profit private clubs. Nothing too surprising in the numbers, with the usual suspects topping the list and club investments in amenities driving numbers ever upward, but I did raise my eyebrows when I saw that Myers Park Country Club is the “richest” club in the state by total assets. Good reminder of the value of 100+ acres in the heart of Charlotte…

Scott Hamel Runs Away with Raintree Club Championship: This one is a bit belated as the event took place in late September, but you know we like to be on the Charlotte club championship beat here at 2DP! Hamel, who recently qualified for the 2026 U.S. Four-Ball with fellow Raintree Country Club member Paul Fitzgerald, finished -12 for the event, 6 shots clear of Matt Kilgo.

Neal Morrison Defeats Paul Clark in Charlotte Senior Amateur Playoff: This one took place Monday and Tuesday at Cedarwood Country Club - kudos to the contestants for braving some of the worst golf weather of the year! The scoring certainly reflected the challenge presented by the cold, wind, and rain, with a winning score of +13 for 36 holes in a field containing some serious players.

• Full scoring: View final leaderboard

HOUSEKEEPING

New Subscriber Giveaway Results

Congrats to David Sargent on winning our new subscriber giveaway! He took home a customer headcover from Palmetto & Pine and a copy of the latest Carolinas Golf magazine.

Thanks to David and the others who have recently entered the fray, we’ve crossed our mini-goal of 300 newsletter subscribers! Huge thanks to everyone who has supported 2DP this year, and if you’re enjoying the weekly content, please share it with a friend.

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