Brennan Brings STEM training, viral moments into this week’s 126th U.S. Open golf championships
One of the most intriguing young talents on the PGA TOUR, 24-year-old Michael Brennan has gone viral both on the internet and tournament leaderboards this spring entering this week’s U.S. Open at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
The member of “Team Old National,” which also includes No. 1-ranked amateur Kiara Romero, found himself sitting co-leader three weeks ago at the Charles Schwab Challenge, eventually finishing tied for sixth at 10-under par against a strong PGA Tour field.
“I want to be in contention as much as possible,” said Brennan, speaking to Old National about learning lessons in real time. “That’s where you just learn a lot about yourself … and ultimately for the goal of winning golf tournaments.”
Going viral
It was at the PGA TOUR’s only two-player team event just weeks ago when Brennan found himself going viral on social media after taking off his shirt to play a ball in the mud. Looking to preserve his white shirt, Brennan went shirtless before spraying mud and water in an attempt to save par while his partner Johnny Keefer looked on with a grin.
“He might get a few DMs (direct messages on social media),” Keefer joked to media after the round.
Brennan explained how the more relaxed two-man team event format led to him attempting the shirtless chip from the muck.
“Yeah, I [would have taken a drop] if I was just playing in a normal tournament, but Johnny had a birdie putt on the green. So I was, like, well, I guess we can try it, but, yeah, it was fun.”
Finding a golf comfort zone … in STEM
Gravitating toward science, math and engineering in middle school, Brennan eventually attended a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) magnet high school, expanding his science- and analytics-based approach that he attributes much of his golfing success to.
“I was always interested in engineering and stuff like that,” Brennan told Old National Bank. “I feel like I've just taken a little bit of that more science-math approach to golf, and I enjoy looking at stats … I feel like I'm a little bit more tied into the analytical side of the game.”
At Wake Forest the eight-time collegiate title winner pivoted to an Economics major, in line with a future professional golf career and an NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) sponsorship from Old National Bank.
“Old National has been one of my longest partners,” Brennan said. “To have that relationship and see that even now, through college, through the Americas Tour, and now on the PGA Tour, how we've grown together, as a partnership, has been really fun and the relationships that I've built.”
Brennan has a habit of keeping his long-time partners close. Adam Harrell, Brennan’s coach since he was 12 years old, continues to work with him part-time while teaching middle school.
Approaching the U.S. Open
The 2026 U.S. Open will be a main-field first for Brennan. His lone previous appearance was in 2023 when as a collegiate player he advanced through a playoff tournament to reach the main event.
The pressure, Brennan says, is part of the privilege of playing at the top level.
“It's fun being under the gun, when you feel like you need to perform, because that's what we're practicing for and that's the epitome of golf -- making a putt on the 72nd hole to win a tournament,” Brennan told Old National on approaching the U.S. Open and his goals for the remainder of the year. “That's what everyone thinks about when they think of great Tiger (Woods) moments and stuff like that. I’m just trying to get myself in the position to where I can learn and win tournaments.”
The 126th U.S. Open golf championships will be held on June 18-21, 2026, at the historic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. The live broadcast schedule will be (all times Eastern):
- Round 1 (Thursday, June 18): 6:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (USA Network); 5-8 p.m. (Peacock, NBCSN).
- Round 2 (Friday, June 19): 6:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (Peacock, NBCSN); 1:30–7:30 p.m. (NBC, Peacock).
- Round 3 (Saturday, June 20): 10:00 a.m.–noon (USA Network); noon–8:00 p.m. (NBC, Peacock).
- Final Round (Sunday, June 21): 9:00 a.m.–noon (USA Network); noon–7:00 p.m. (NBC, Peacock).
