Real-Life Finance® Podcast #21 | Life on the PGA Tour with PGA Professional Michael Brennan
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In this episode, PGA Professional and Old National Bank Golf Ambassador Michael Brennan, joins host Ben Joergens to share a real-life look at the journey behind professional golf – from early dreams to earning his place on the PGA Tour. Along the way, Michael opens up about navigating performance and uncertainty, his approach to staying consistent, and the financial lessons that guide him today. Plus, he shares a few personal favorites – top courses like Augusta National to the dream golf partners he’d tee it up with.
Read the transcript below, or click here to listen.
Ben Joergens:
Welcome to an On the Road Special of the Real-Life Finance Podcast in beautiful West Palm Beach. I'm your host, Ben Joergens. I am really delighted to be welcomed by PGA Professional and Golf Ambassador of Old National Bank, Michael Brennan. Michael, it's good to have you here.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, thanks, Ben. Thanks for having me on.
Ben Joergens:
Absolutely. So we're going to have a different focus than we typically do on this podcast, but I think your story is such a neat journey of where you started to where you are today. So, I really want to open getting to know you and let our listeners get to know who the real Michael Brennan is. So, for listeners that are hearing your story for the first time, would you mind giving us the quick version of the journey from a young golfer to a PGA tour player today?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. I grew up in Leesburg, Virginia, about an hour outside of D.C. My dad played golf and that's how I got into the game. I think I just wanted to spend time with him, and a way to do that was to be on the golf course with him. I enjoyed being outside as well. So he taught me the basics of the game. And I didn't see a coach until I was 12 or 13. Adam Harrell, local coach, and I still work with him now on my swing. But yeah, grew up in Northern Virginia playing junior golf, amateur golf, played for my high school team, Tuscarora High School in Leesburg. And then ultimately went to Wake Forest and did four years there, graduating in 2024, and did a year and a half on the PGA Tour Americas before getting my PGA Tour card.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic. Yeah, because it's neat to just see that. And I think you won, what, in college, eight tournaments, is that right?
Michael Brennan:
Eight times, yep.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic. So, for the moment that you realized, when was it that you realized professional golf really could actually become a career?
Michael Brennan:
It had always been my dream to play professional golf ever since I was five years old. I mean, my mom has showed me things in kindergarten that I've written, what do you want to be when you're older? And it's always been a professional golfer, but I don't think I really realized that it was a legitimate possibility until I got to Wake Forest. I just got off to a really hot start in college. My first four or five events as a freshman, we couldn't play in the fall because of COVID, but we started up in the spring, and I played really well. A couple of top fives, I won twice, and I realized like, all right, maybe I am decent at this and I have a shot to play professionally.
Ben Joergens:
So what's one thing about your journey that most people would never know from just watching you on television?
Michael Brennan:
I feel like my time on the PGA Tour Americas is people maybe don't realize, they just see, oh, you're playing on the PGA Tour and think maybe right out of college you just jump straight to the PGA Tour. And for some guys it is the case, but for me, I spent a year and a half on one of the developmental tours, like the third tier of professional tour by the PGA Tour. And it was really important for me. I thought I learned how to play four-day events because that's something you don't do in college. You get a little bit of that in amateur golf, but in college it's mostly three-round tournaments.
And so I just learned how to travel. We spent some time in South America. That was great. I mean, I thought it was awesome. Definitely a huge learning experience. Got to see some really cool places though. And then we spent the other half of the year up in Canada. So learned the flow of a four-day tournament, traveling week to week, and just learning how to try to refine my game and play tournament golf at the professional level, earn a paycheck. But yeah, I mean, I did that for two years basically before getting out on the PGA Tour.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah. That's fantastic.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
So, Michael, I know a big tournament of your career was the Bank of Utah, that really helped you springboard into the PGA Tour. Can you expand on that, where and how that tournament was such a big one for you personally?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, it was huge, I was playing on the Americas Tour in 2025. I was playing really well, won a few times. I was going to be promoted to the Korn Ferry Tour for the following year. After my season concluded, I felt like I had a pretty fair reasoning for wanting to get a sponsor invite into some of the fall tournaments. At first, I wasn’t really having much success, wasn’t getting into anything. And then, pretty last minute I got a call on Friday from my agent, the tournament started Thursday, so six days prior to the first round. Said “hey we’ve got you a spot in Utah.” Quick turnaround, I got the call on Friday afternoon and I left on Sunday to fly out to Utah and had a great week. Continued playing good, I made a lot of putts. Winning that tournament, I’d be playing on the Korn Ferry Tour this year if it wasn’t for that. Now I was playing the Master’s earlier this year, a really surreal experience. That is why I am on PGA Tour now.
Ben Joergens:
So, as we talk about the grind that really nobody sees, we see you as the polished product on TV and PGA star. So everyone sees that the PGA Tour starts now. What would you say was really the toughest stretch of that journey that you've talked about where you're maybe thinking, is this right?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. You always have doubts. I think at points in college when you go through tough stretches, it's a little disappointing, but you have your teammates and your coaches there to pick you up and just be very supportive. And that was great. But on the Americas Tour, I graduated in '24 and started playing in June of that year up in Canada. So I missed the first half in South America. And we got to the tour championship. I had played pretty good, couple decent events, a few missed cuts, and I was hanging around the 20th on the points list or something and I needed to pretty much win the tour championship. And I had a five-shot lead with four or five holes left, and I went double, quad on 13, 14 at TPC Toronto, the course I'm going up to play next week actually. Yeah.
And so, I didn't win. Finished third, didn't get my Korn Ferry Tour card. That was disappointing and that was difficult because we didn't have any tournaments. I had nothing to look forward to really. It was really, it was Q school in a couple months. I just had time to sit in the disappointment. And I think it ultimately has been great for me. Just makes you a little hungrier, but in the moment, it's a tough pill to swallow, but I had a great family, great friends, team behind me to help support me and say, "Hey, this just shows that you're playing good golf and you're able to win out on the Americas Tour at the time." And then next year I won a few times.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah, that's awesome.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, it was great.
Ben Joergens:
You've had some great success. So, was there ever a time when you seriously wondered, is professional golf worth it? Or has it always just been the dream? And obviously you're still young and then things like that, but have you ever had that go through your mind?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, even on the Americas tour when we were playing in South America and it's kind of sketchy or it's not glamorous, I still loved it. So, for me, I think yes, absolutely. It's always been worth it.
Ben Joergens:
And you said your family was a big part of that, right?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
They've been supportive and things like that. What sacrifices, if you don't mind sharing, Michael, were some of the things that your family had to... And we talk opportunity costs. What are we going to give up to get something else? What were some of the sacrifices your family had to go through to get you to where you are today?
Michael Brennan:
I mean, a lot of travel and time and money playing junior events. I don't think I traveled as much as some kids. I never really played in AJGA tournaments growing up, the big junior golf circuit that a lot of kids feel like is super necessary. I played a lot of state, local, regional, junior, and amateur events. And I did play in some national tournaments and traveled a bit, but I think just the time and money for travel is the biggest sacrifice that they would have made. But even when we're at home and I'm disappointed and I don't realize that a tournament at the age of 12 is not the end of the world, in the moment it feels so important to you, but they were always there to just try to put things into perspective and try to give me a bigger picture, outlook on life in golf.
Ben Joergens:
Sounds like they were your biggest supporters by far.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic. So, from those lessons that you learned at a young age where you didn't win the tournament, what lessons from those tough years really still impact your life today? Is it that knowing that you've got the support at home? Or do you think... You mentioned you're going to be going to that nemesis where you finished that tough round coming up. Do you use those tough times to really build to make the future brighter then?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. I think that if there aren't any challenges or struggles, then successes aren't worth what they are. There's a reason that so many guys want to play golf at the highest level, train hard and practice hard to play good golf because they know that it's a bit of a fleeting... It's a fleeting thing. Unless you're Scottie Scheffler or Cam Young's been playing great this year. It's challenging to get on runs like that. And so that's what makes the successes worth it and that's what makes all of it worth it, honestly, is when you go through some challenges because then you can appreciate when you play well.
Ben Joergens:
How much do you enjoy practice?
Michael Brennan:
I like practice.
Ben Joergens:
Do you?
Michael Brennan:
I do. Yeah. I enjoy it a lot if I know that I have something to look forward to. I like practice, but if I'm not playing in a tournament for a month, or two months now, it doesn't really happen because we play almost every week, then it's a little challenging to get energized and super juiced, but if I know I have got a tournament coming up or something to look forward to or a goal that I set that I'm practicing towards, then I really enjoy it.
Ben Joergens:
What's your favorite club to hit on the range? I'm guessing you're a big bomber with the drivers.
Michael Brennan:
I hit a lot of drivers.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah.
Michael Brennan:
I actually don't hit many drivers on the range though. I don't know. I'll hit a couple. Seven iron would be my most popular iron that I would hit on the practice range. I just think it looks the best, but yeah, I'll hit a few drivers, but when I'm out on the golf course, love sending driver.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome. So as we move from the grind that people don't typically see and more into the financial reality of professional golf, many fans assume professional golfers just become wealthy overnight, right? So tell us the reality. What is it like? Because it's different than your typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job where you're earning that same paycheck every week, right? It's different on the PGA Tour.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, there's definitely uncertainty in how to plan ahead because you don't know. You could have a great year and make a ton of money and a not so great year, still make a ton of money, but not quite as much money. So it's different. On the PGA Tour, it's great because your sponsors are so invested in you and want to see you succeed. But when you're playing on the Americas Tour, Old National Bank, I mean, they've been a sponsor of mine since my sophomore year of college or that summer after sophomore year of college. So we've had a great partnership now for over four years, but the purses on the Americas Tour aren't big, and unless you play really, really good golf, it's hard to even just turn a profit. And so that's where relying on some of your sponsors earlier in your career are crucial because you know that you have guaranteed money, and if you miss a couple cuts in a row, you're not going to go broke.
And for some guys, that's the reality and it's difficult to manage. But yeah, just the uncertainty even like, "Oh, I want to buy a house at some point," and stuff like that. And it's hard to plan ahead because I don't know I'm going to make exactly this amount of money for years to come.
Ben Joergens:
Exactly. Well, when you're younger and you said that your parents invest a lot of time and travel, did you realize as a kid what that pathway looked like and how expensive it can be for a parent that's going through something similar? Or-
Michael Brennan:
As a kid, I had no idea. I was just like, "These are my parents and that's what they're supposed to do." You know what I mean?
Ben Joergens:
Yeah.
Michael Brennan:
I think now I'm starting to get a little bit more of a perspective, but I don't have kids myself so I'm sure that it's even going to change, hopefully, God willing, when I do have kids that I will understand and appreciate them even more. But yeah, they've given up a lot for me to play professional golf.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic. Does that ever weigh into your mind during a tournament when performance based pay essentially with the PGA Tour, does that ever impact your golf game when you're thinking, okay, if I make... I mean, because you had a big putt here recently, that significantly changed the amounts that you could bring in. Has that ever crossed in your mind during the round?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, I've thought about it. I try to get to the point where I'm going to play golf the same way no matter what, no matter what the outcome is, whether it's on the Americas Tour and a putt for a couple hundred dollars or on the PGA Tour for thousands of dollars.
Ben Joergens:
Yes.
Michael Brennan:
And I think that I do a pretty good job of... I mean, the money is important, this is my career, this is what I do for a living, but I love playing golf and I loved playing golf on the Americas Tour when I wasn't making as much money. And so I think it's not a huge motivating factor. It definitely is a little bit. I would be lying if I said it had no impact on my game, but I think I'm able to compartmentalize that reasonably well and not have it be a huge primary focus of my play when I'm in a tournament, I try to just, all right, this is the situation and I just have to try to go perform the best I can.
Ben Joergens:
So if I remember right, you were an economics major in college, right? At Wake Forest?
Michael Brennan:
I was. Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
And I assume that probably helps sometimes with the financial discussions and planning.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, I guess it helps wrap my head maybe around how the world works a little bit better. Not so much into personal finances.
Ben Joergens:
Right.
Michael Brennan:
We didn't really get into that in school with my economics degree. So I've been learning a lot since graduating, which it's been fun. I've enjoyed it. But it's nice, I also have people that help me out with that, which makes things easier.
Ben Joergens:
You mentioned that. We are an advocate to try to get schools to offer personal finance. How much do you think that is so important for our younger generation today to rather not experience it the hard way of trial and error, but how important do you see that?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, I think it's crucial now that I'm on the outside and I didn't really get much of that growing up. And it's great to learn about world history in high school, but sometimes I think maybe it would be better off for the kids if they learn more about how to budget and how to just manage their money after school. I think that is probably lacking a little bit in the education.
Ben Joergens:
So, on that note, if there's a 15-year-old out there listening, what would be your personal financial advice that you would give them to really either maybe do some research on or learn more about that maybe you wish you would've learned at a younger age?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, my dad always told me to save. That was his big thing, just save money, save money. And my mom, big compound interest, always talked about that and was like, "Hey, put the money in now when you're young, invest heavy on the front side, and you will reap the benefits later on in life."
Ben Joergens:
Absolutely.
Michael Brennan:
And that's something I maybe understood, but not really. But I do think an investment class in high school, even just basic level, would be really cool, and I think the kids would enjoy it because it's, I mean, money's fun to talk about, you know what I mean?
Ben Joergens:
Yes. Yes.
Michael Brennan:
And so I think that they would really enjoy it.
Ben Joergens:
So, let's go beyond the game of golf a little bit here. What would you say, Michael, keeps you grounded when things are going really well for you?
Michael Brennan:
I'm Catholic. And God.
Ben Joergens:
Me as well. Yes.
Michael Brennan:
... going to mass every Sunday is very important for me and I think that relationship, that's the most important relationship that I have in my life, and I think that that's just, it's a great way for everybody to be grounded and great moral values and taught through Christianity.
Ben Joergens:
As a fellow Catholic, I love hearing that as well.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
So, let's think about, has success changed any relationships with friends? And I know family's been a big support. Does sometimes that ever impact the friendships that you've had growing up or has it all stayed the same?
Michael Brennan:
No. I mean, thankfully I've got great friends that have been my friends since high school or college. And I mean sometimes they'll make jokes about it, but in funny ways. And yeah, I've got great support from my friends from school and back home in Leesburg, and it's the same.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome. So you've got people in your life that are always going to tell you the truth no matter what. They don't care. They're just going to tell you. Who is that person in your life that's always going to tell you the truth no matter what's happening?
Michael Brennan:
My brother's pretty honest.
Ben Joergens:
Is he?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, he'll shoot me pretty straight, tell me if I look stupid doing something or whatever it may be. I feel like my brother's probably a good guy to do that.
Ben Joergens:
Is he a golfer as well?
Michael Brennan:
He is, yeah.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic.
Michael Brennan:
Just graduated from Kentucky and he's working for Morgan Stanley in DC.
Ben Joergens:
Excellent. Excellent. Well, that's perfect. So, when you're not golfing, who is Michael Brennan when you're not golfing? What do you enjoy doing?
Michael Brennan:
I enjoy reading a bit. I enjoy watching movies. I like the nature and outdoors. I went to the beach yesterday, went kayaking yesterday just to chill, get away from golf a little bit. But yeah, I like the outdoors. I'm glad that I just moved down here to Palm Beach area and by the beach because I love the ocean. But yeah, reading, watching movies, talking to friends on the phone if I can't be with them, call up a buddy and chat for a while.
Ben Joergens:
Any favorite types of movies that you... Are you an action guy or comedy?
Michael Brennan:
I like a lot of movies, just no horror movies.
Ben Joergens:
Yes. I'm the same way.
Michael Brennan:
I don't know. They-
Ben Joergens:
I tried one the other day.
Michael Brennan:
They scare me a little bit. Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
They do?
Michael Brennan:
I'm not a huge fan of horror movies, but pretty much everything else I like. Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome. So obviously a partner with Old National as a golf ambassador for the bank. You've been with them for a while. Why Old National? What was the reason for you to partner with us?
Michael Brennan:
So our initial connection was I was playing the Western Am up in Chicago, and as part of our pro-am group, played with Jim Stadler.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah.
Michael Brennan:
And he's been an incredible business partner and friend to me for now for the last four or five years, and he's really been my connection to Old National Bank. And the more I get to meet the staff and the people at the company, the more I'm very appreciative that I'm a partner with them. But yeah, Jim Stadler, he was my initial point person in connection, and he's been really great to work with.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
Jim's a good guy.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
All right. So as we close this, Michael, we like to do some rapid-fire questions. Normally we have certain ones we cover, but given your background and where you're at today, I just want to get an off-the-cuff answer from you if that's all right.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
So, we'll go into our lightning round, as we call it.
Michael Brennan:
Okay.
Ben Joergens:
All right. So best investment you've ever made. Doesn't necessarily have to be a stock or anything like that.
Michael Brennan:
My golf coach, Adam Harrell, back in Leesburg, I was 12 when I started working with him. So, I didn't really make that decision as a kid, but we're still working together.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome.
Michael Brennan:
And he's been a huge part of my success.
Ben Joergens:
Perfect. Worst purchase you've ever made?
Michael Brennan:
I don't know. I actually, I really haven't made too many big purchases. I probably should, but haven't. Worst purchase, I don't know. I bought a suit last week for a dinner that they didn't really have the right size, but I still bought it because I needed to go and I regretted it afterwards, but that was last week.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah. You can always get it tailored later on.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, I guess so.
Ben Joergens:
Absolutely.
Michael Brennan:
I guess so.
Ben Joergens:
All right, favorite course you've ever played?
Michael Brennan:
Augusta or Riviera in L.A., one of the two.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah. How did that feel finishing top 25 at Augusta your first year?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, it was great. It was a great week. It lives up to the hype.
Ben Joergens:
That's awesome.
Michael Brennan:
It's a well-run event. Everyone is so friendly. Thankfully I played some solid golf, which was fun. Made it even sweeter of an experience, but it was really cool.
Ben Joergens:
So if you could pick anybody, Michael, that you could play around with, who would you pick?
Michael Brennan:
Non-golfer? I've been getting into tennis and I think it would be really fun to play with Carlos Alcaraz.
Ben Joergens:
That would be awesome. He's great.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. He seems like it. I know he plays a lot of golf, but yeah.
Ben Joergens:
That's fantastic. All right. What's one thing you are willing to splurge on if you get a nice windfall from finishing good? What's that big purchase that you would love to make?
Michael Brennan:
I was given some advice by some older players that said, "Hey, if you have success, you win a tournament, buy something that you will have for a while, like a nice watch or something." And he's like, "It's an investment, but also something that you can look down on and have for the rest of your life and say like, 'Hey, that was a really cool moment.'" I didn't do that in Utah. I was just told this a couple months ago, or a couple weeks ago and this was well after Utah, so maybe for the next one I'll buy a watch or something like that.
Ben Joergens:
Is there anything regular that you're just like, "I don't care what it costs, I'm just going to buy it"?
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. If I have a nice week, go out to a nice dinner. I'm okay spending some money on a nice dinner.
Ben Joergens:
Love it. Love it. What's one thing that you'll never see yourself spending money on? If there is anything.
Michael Brennan:
Probably like not a crazy car or anything.
Ben Joergens:
Yeah.
Michael Brennan:
I think I would keep it reasonably practical. If I were to ever buy a super car, I like the James Bond movies, and buying an Aston Martin would be pretty cool, but I need to make a lot more money before I do that.
Ben Joergens:
I think that's good for our listeners to hear. They see somebody on the PGA Tour doing well and still looking at being practical with your money. So for me personally, I love that. I love that. All right. So what's something that people assume about professional golfers that you would say is completely wrong? Anything out there?
Michael Brennan:
That on Mondays through Wednesdays, we don't do anything. I've had a lot of people say that. They're like, "Oh, you're in Dallas or whatever. Come do this on midday on a Tuesday," because they only see that you're playing on Thursday, but they don't realize our longest days are probably Monday through Wednesday. And Thursday through Sunday can be long if you need to grind afterwards, but probably Monday through Wednesday, that's when we're putting in most of the work and we're probably the busiest.
Ben Joergens:
Yes, yes. All right. So lastly, if a 15-year-old golfer is watching now, Michael, and has big dreams, what would you want them to know as a young kid growing up, just like you did?
Michael Brennan:
You have to practice a lot. If you don't enjoy being out there and practicing, then almost forget it. You have not much of a chance. And then stay consistent. It's tough. Sometimes you go through... Even I now go through stretches where I'm super pumped to go to the range and grind, and I feel like I'm super encouraged, and the game is good and feels close. And there are other times where it feels challenging and far-fetched. And just through both of those periods, just knowing, hey, I got to show up and practice. And I think that some of that would be... It'd put a 15-year-old kid above a lot of their peers if they were to understand that.
Ben Joergens:
I think that ties into a lot of finances too, right? People have got to put in the grind, they got to put in the work, do the small things over and over to achieve that success down the road. So what would you tell their parents? What do their parents need to know if they've got a young kid that really wants to pursue this?
Michael Brennan:
You don't need to do the AJGAs and fly them all over the place. Playing in local junior tournaments is equally as important. Learning how to win if it's maybe a lower level local event, that's okay too, but just be there to support them. After a bad round or something, sometimes you don't need to say, "Why'd you do this on 12? That was a bad chip," or whatever. And just say, "Hey, it's all right. We'll get them next time."
Ben Joergens:
I love it.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah.
Ben Joergens:
Well, Michael, thank you so much for-
Michael Brennan:
Yeah. Thanks man, I appreciate it.
Ben Joergens:
... being a guest on the podcast. We wish you nothing but continued success in all that you do, but we appreciate you taking time to talk with us.
Michael Brennan:
Yeah, thanks, man.
Ben Joergens:
Awesome.
