Hitchner extends lead in third round of CRMC Championship

Brainerd, Minnesota – Minnesota native Derek Hitchner extended his lead at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center to four strokes after carding a 5-under 66 in the third round. Michael Brennan joins Grant Booth at T2, after carding a 7-under 64 on Saturday.

Hitchner entered the week at No. 61 in the Fortinet Cup, and had missed five cuts in his last six starts before taking sole possession of the 54-hole lead at Cragun’s Legacy Course. Hitchner took the lead after carding a 9-under 62 on Friday, which included a 6-under 29 on the back nine. The Minnesota native followed up his low-round with a bogey-free 5-under 66 and has yet to make a bogey through 54-holes.

Hitchner is making his third start at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center. The Minneapolis native’s best finish in Brainerd came in 2023, where he finished T34. Hitchner played collegiately at Pepperdine University and was named the Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year in 2021.

itchner and Brennan will play in the final group together for the second time this season, after playing together on Sunday at the BioSteel Championship, where Brennan secured his first victory as a professional. Final round tee times are expected to begin at 7:30 a.m. and will run until 12:34 p.m. in threesomes off the No. 1 tee.