After missing the cut in seven of his first 10 starts of the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season, Derek Hitchner felt adrift.

“It was horrendous; the treading was so brutal. I felt so distant from good golf,” the 26-year-old Minneapolis native recalls of where he stood in early August.

Now, only four months later, he arrives at this week’s Final Stage of the PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry—beginning Thursday at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club—with momentum few in the field can match.

Over a remarkable eight-week stretch between August and September, Hitchner transformed his season. He surged from 67th to sixth on the PGA TOUR Americas points list, earning 811 of his season-long 923.60 points in the last six events of the season.

“When you can start seeing good processes materialize to good results, and then you start building on that week to week, I think it can be really transformative. I just started seeing shots kind of going the right way and putts started going in, and it just can really build and snowball quickly,” says Hitchner of the way he was able to capitalize and make the most out of his run to form.

During that stretch, Hitchner posted two runner-up finishes, each time finishing behind PGA TOUR Americas Player of the Year Michael Brennan, who went on to win on the PGA TOUR’s Bank of Utah Championship in October and now sits at No. 35 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Brennan edged him in a playoff at the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center in Minnesota, then beat him by a stroke at the ATB Classic in Edmonton.

Although Brennan denied him a trophy, Hitchner sees the bigger picture.

“Anytime you can compete and stay level with someone like Mike, it’s super encouraging,” Hitchner said. “He proved that that kind of golf translates immediately to the next level. It’s reaffirming—if you can play really well on PGA TOUR Americas, there’s no reason it shouldn’t materialize on the biggest Tour.”

A 2023 PGA TOUR University alum out of Pepperdine University, Hitchner finished inside the top 10 on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season to lock in strong 2026 Korn Ferry Tour status. That frees him up to play aggressively this week as he chases one of the five PGA TOUR cards available at Final Stage.

“It’s such a blessing to be here for a lot of reasons,” he said. “One is that the pressure to confirm Korn Ferry Tour status isn’t really a factor—I already have that. The mindset is that I have an incredible opportunity to compete for a PGA TOUR card, and there’s really no downside. It’s a unique situation, and I’m super excited.”

This will mark Hitchner’s second straight Final Stage appearance. Although last year didn’t go as planned, he gained familiarity with both host courses. He’ll again have a close friend from Minnesota on the bag, while his fiancée, Lea Martinson, will be providing support outside the ropes.

Lea played a central role late in the PGA TOUR Americas season, serving as his caddie in four events, including the final three.

“I wouldn’t say I’m super helpful when it comes to figuring out his shots,” she joked on the "Birdie Little Secrets" podcast. “Golf is such a mental game, and that can be a heavy burden. I think I was able to be a calming presence—give him perspective, lighten the load a bit. Maybe that’s my purpose.”

Hitchner’s record with her on the bag was impressive: T35 at altitude in Ecuador, runner-up at the ATB Classic, T12 at the Digital Commerce Group Open (formerly the Victoria Open), and T6 at the season finale in Surrey, British Columbia.

“She’s incredible,” Hitchner said. “It was so special to have her presence out there and the companionship she provided. That summer, especially toward the end, is something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. It’s a set of experiences we’re incredibly grateful for.”

The couple, who met in an International Relations class at Pepperdine just before the pandemic, will wed on April 12—Masters Sunday. Several golf-loving guests voiced concerns, so the reception plan took shape quickly.

“We’ll definitely have the Masters on during cocktail hour,” Lea said with a laugh.

With a Korn Ferry Tour rookie season secured, a potential PGA TOUR card if things break his way this week, and a wedding waiting for him, 2026 already feels like a life-changing year ahead. For Hitchner, the late-season surge wasn’t just about playing better golf—it was about rediscovering belief, leaning on the people closest to him, and proving that he belongs. Now he gets one more chance to show it.