Lebanon County golfer Derrik Brennan nabs amateur title with 10-stroke win

With a 10-stroke victory, Derrik Brennan won his first Lebanon County Amateur Golf Championship earlier this month at Lebanon Valley Golf Club.

Brennan, who withdrew just prior to the 2024 tournament due to a back issue, placed second in the 2023 tournament and third in 2022.

“This year was a smaller field but certainly had plenty of talent,” said Brennan, who added that he’d love to see the amateur field get back up to 30 or 40 guys.

Brennan, who began playing golf at age 6, competed on the links for the Dutchmen on Annville-Cleona High School golf team before graduating in 2011.

These days, when he’s not traveling for work building water tanks, he says he’s either golfing, hunting or fishing – “Anytime outside staying active.”

Recapping the tournament, Brennan said he played well Saturday, missing a few early birdies but then picking a few up on the back nine. He said the 18th hole bit him and he ended the day with a double bogey. “I short-sided myself pin high to a back pin with an awful lie,” said Brennan.

Going into Sunday, Brennan had a two-stroke lead over Eric Tripp, and he set a goal of “playing better than yesterday, but staying patient and only be aggressive on certain shots/holes.” After beginning with a bogey and seeing the gap with Tripp close, he said he reminded himself to “just play solid golf, stay patient with birdie, and play one shot at a time.”

From there Brennan knew he had to keep making pars and throwing a birdie or two, and fend off returning champion Craig Kliewer. Of Kliewer, Brennan said, “he’s a great player and even better playing competitor.”

Brennan shot a total of 137 over two rounds at the 6,236-yard course in Myerstown.

“There’s nothing like individual competition golf,” said Brennan. “Playing for money with your buddies or playing better balls is a blast. But two days of playing your own ball, relying on solely your clubs and the 7 inches between your ears, is what drives me to play better golf.”