IVINS, Utah – The stage is set for a showdown Sunday in the southern Utah desert.

Michael Brennan – a sponsor invite making just his third career PGA TOUR start – holds a two-stroke lead over defending champion Matt McCarty going into the final round at the Bank of Utah Championship.

Here are five things you need to know ahead of Sunday’s final round:

‘Intense’ Brennan poised for the spotlight

What’s one thing that sets the 23-year-old Brennan apart from others? His intensity. Just ask him.

“I think I'm pretty intense. I try to be a little less intense. My dad gives me a hard time for it sometimes,” he said Saturday after broadcasters shared a story about his intense drive to become a proficient poker player. “I don't know. I just get into some activities and dive into them. … My latest thing is tennis. I'm not really playing as much poker but playing a lot of tennis with my buddies. They think it's a little ridiculous, but I went out and got tennis lessons from a tennis pro because I don't like being average at it.

“For me that's the great thing about golf: It gives me an outlet to go all-in and nerd out and geek out a little bit about that sort of stuff, all aspects of the game, just trying to be good at it. That definitely is in line with my personality.”

Brennan, who recently earned Korn Ferry Tour status for 2026 via a Three-Victory Promotion on PGA TOUR Americas, could skip right to the TOUR with a win on Sunday. And for the Wake Forest alum, it would be a dream come true.

“It's been my goal growing up to play on the PGA TOUR,” he said. “I know my parents showed me things I wrote in kindergarten what my dream job is. It was always to play professional golf and to do so on the highest level. I have a great opportunity tomorrow, so try to take advantage of it.”

Defending champ McCarty lurks

Matt McCarty, winner of last year’s inaugural event at Black Desert Resort, posted his second sub-30 score on the back nine for the second day in a row Saturday and is within striking distance after three rounds in Utah. The defending champ stands at 15 under for the tournament, two shots back of Brennan.

“I think kind of fed off that energy I had on that nine yesterday,” said McCarty of Saturday’s back-nine 29 in his round of 64. “If we can figure out the front nine, I think we'll be fine for tomorrow.”

After opening with a 2-under 69 on Thursday, McCarty followed up with a fiery 65 on Friday that featured seven birdies during a second-nine 28. He’ll look to roll that into a repeat performance on Sunday.

“It'll help a lot knowing I've been able to do it out here before,” he said. “It'll be great. Yeah, just looking forward to it. That was the goal: Just give myself chance again. Happy to be in a good spot and hopefully we can get it done again.”

Hoey looks to brush aside putting demons

Rico Hoey made a notable switch to a broomstick putter ahead of the Procore Championship, and it appeared to pay off immediately for the 30-year-old Philippines native. He finished T9 in Napa and followed up two starts later with a T4 at the Baycurrent Classic. And now, Hoey now stands T3 – three shots behind leader Brennan – going into the final round of the Bank of Utah Championship.

Hoey may be one of the TOUR’s best ball-strikers, ranking high in various stats including first in Total Driving, second in Greens in Regulation, second in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, third in SG: Off-the-Tee and 11th in SG: Approach. But he’s an abysmal 171st in SG: Putting.

Through three rounds this week, Hoey stands 53 in SG: Putting.

Springer flashes ability to go low – again

Second-year TOUR member Hayden Springer posted the low round of the day – and low round of the tournament so far – on Saturday with a 9-under 62 to sit T6, three shots behind Brennan. After starting his day with three pars and a bogey, the 28-year-old quickly turned the tide on No. 5 with a hole-out eagle on the 325-yard par 4. He made two more birdies before the turn, then kicked his game into high gear on the back with a 29 that featured six birdies.

“It's always good when you hole out,” said Springer, who put his name in the record books last summer when he posted a 59 in the first round of the 2024 John Deere Classic. “That's always like a pleasant surprise and kind of gets you going.”

It was just the boost that Springer needs as the FedExCup Fall winds down. With just four events to go, he currently sits at No. 131 in the standings and knows exactly what’s on the line as he chases top 100 status for 2026.

“I've been fortunate to have enough opportunities this year,” said Springer, who’s made 15 cuts in 19 starts this season with a best finish being a solo sixth at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. “I think the biggest thing is every shot counts. Whether I win or don't win tomorrow, whatever happens, every shot, every point matters at the end of the year.

“... I definitely want to win and be there and do all that, but it still comes down to every shot and just trying to take it shot by shot and do the best I can on each and every one of those.”

Bubble watch: Yu chases Signature Event starts, TOUR card on line for Olesen

With just four events left in the FedExCup Fall, several players are jockeying for position inside relevant cut-off standings. Among those aiming for a spot inside the top 60 – and thereby qualifying for the first two Signature Events (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am and the Genesis Invitational) via the Aon Next 10. Making the biggest move inside that threshold is TOUR winner Kevin Yu, who posted a bogey-free 63 on Saturday to vault into contention. Yu, who currently sits at No. 61 in the FedExCup Fall, noted that securing top-60 status was “very important.”

“Obviously you get more money, the points, too, so definitely that's a goal for the fall. … Like Pebble (Beach) and Genesis (Riviera Club), those are the courses that I like a lot, so really hoping to get into those fields,” said Yu, who won the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship for his lone TOUR win. “Yeah, looking forward to that. Got to play good tomorrow and hopefully we get in.”

One player making a notable push toward the top 100 and securing his TOUR card for 2026 is Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen, who stands T6 – four shots behind Brennan. Currently No. 116 in the FedExCup Fall standings, he’s projected to move to No. 101 after rounds of 65-70-65 in Utah.