SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | Being aggressive doesn’t always pay off in desert golf. During the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Troon Country Club, many players hit less than driver off the tee to ensure being in the fairway and not among the cacti and rattlesnakes 10 yards to either side.
Not Brandon Holtz. A former shooting guard at Illinois State who loved firing up threes, Holtz refused to lay up, and his aggressiveness led to his first USGA title in his first try.
“I'm hitting [my driver] the best I’ve ever hit it really,” Holtz said. “A lot of these guys are hitting 3-wood or hybrid off some of these tees, and I’m just teeing it high and letting it fly.”
A 38-year-old real estate agent from Bloomington, Illinois, Holtz defeated Jeg Coughlin III, 3 and 2, in the final to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur with his father, Jeff, on the bag. The tournament ended in fitting fashion on the 308-yard 16th hole, when Holtz drove the ball to 7 feet and drained the putt for eagle, immediately going to hug his dad.
“I didn’t see this day [coming],” Holtz said. “I'm glad it's here, though.”
Holtz was a multiple-sport athlete growing up, winning two conference titles each on Bloomington High School’s basketball and golf teams.
At Illinois State, Holtz didn’t play for the golf team and instead played Division I basketball from 2005-2009. During his freshman year, Holtz had three double-digit scoring games and more than half of his made field goals were three-pointers. But Holtz’s playing time began to dwindle, and he became a reserve.
“I just started hitting it close and got a little confident with [the putter]. That’s all you need is some confidence, and hit a good stroke and usually it turns out well.”
Brandon Holtz
So Holtz returned to golf and played professionally on mini-tours from 2010-2015. From there, Holtz took a step back but still played in one event a year.
“I played in the Illinois Open because I like to play for cash,” Holtz said.
Holtz regained his amateur status late last year. In August, he earned medalist honors with a 63 in a U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier at Crestwicke Country Club, his home course in Bloomington.
Holtz said he hadn’t played much desert golf before arriving in Arizona for the championship, but he was confident. It was also reassuring to have his father, a fellow golfer, on his bag.
“He’s a gamer,” Holtz said. “That’s where I get all my fire.”
In medal play, Holtz followed up an even-par 71 at Troon Country Club with a 1-over 72 at Troon North, good enough to qualify for match play as the 24th seed.
In match play, Holtz caught fire. He said his driver gave him a distinct advantage over his opponents, as his accurate tee shots consistently put on the pressure.
“I don’t understand why [they’re hitting irons off the tee], but hey, I’ll take it,” Holtz said.
In the round of 64 on Monday, Holtz beat Matt Vogt, 5 and 4, with an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.
On Tuesday, Holtz beat Daniel Faccini, 4 and 3, in the round of 32 and Colin Prater, 3 and 2, in the round of 16. Like a prime Steph Curry behind the arc, Holtz couldn’t miss on the greens, as he made 13 birdies and no bogeys across both matches.
“I just started hitting it close and got a little confident with [the putter],” Holtz said. “That’s all you need is some confidence, and hit a good stroke and usually it turns out well.”
Holtz’s Wednesday quarterfinal match against Jason Hueber went down to the wire. Finding himself 3 down with five to play, Holtz charged back to tie the match on 17 and force extra holes.
The first playoff hole (No. 10) is a 387-yard par-4. There is a wash about 250 yards from the tee that many players, including Hueber, don’t take on, and instead lay up with iron. With his tournament on the line, Holtz didn’t deviate from the game plan. He crushed a driver.
“I think I had like 42 [yards] in,” Holtz said. “So hit a good drive, hit a good chip, and see ya, on to the next one.”
After defeating Hueber with that 19th hole birdie, Holtz beat Christian Cavaliere, 3 and 2, in the semifinals, a match in which Holtz was 7 up at the turn. He became the second player from Illinois State to reach the Mid-Amateur final after Todd Mitchell, who was runner-up in 2008.
Like Holtz, Mitchell didn’t play golf in college, instead opting for baseball and eventually playing in the New York Yankees’ farm system. Holtz and Mitchell are both from Bloomington and members at Crestwicke. They are good friends who play a lot of golf together, and Holtz spoke to Mitchell multiple times during his title run.
Holtz never trailed in his championship match against Coughlin. He took an early 2-up lead and was 3 up through the first 18. After the 20th hole, he was 5 up.
But Coughlin chipped away at the deficit by making birdies. Through 28 holes, Holtz’s lead had shrunk to 1 up.
“Just keep grinding,” Holtz told himself. “Trust the process, trust your game, don't give up.”
Holtz once again took control, taking a 2-up lead to the 34th hole. He had no doubts about what club to hit.
“When I was walking up to the tee, when they had the tees moved up, it was going to be driver no matter what,” Holtz said.
As champion, Holtz receives exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Mid-Amateurs and next two U.S. Amateurs. The former pro will also play in higher-level professional events than he ever did before, as he receives an invitation to next year’s Masters Tournament and an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
“I'd say 99.9 percent of golfers dream [to play in major championships],” Holtz said. “My dad winning the Masters badges in the lottery in 2010 just makes it extra special because we’ve been there. We know how special it is.”
And his dad is ready to caddie for him.
“He’ll hit driver all day long there too,” Jeff said. “And maybe I can finally help him read putts.”
E-MAIL EVERETT
Top: Brandon Holtz relied heavily on his driver to win the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
steve gibbons, usga