Holtz My Trophy: Illinois Native Claims U.S. Mid-Amateur in Arizona

News flash: It actually rained in the Arizona desert on Thursday. The dousing was quick, the remnants of a tropical storm. But after five consecutive days of glorious sunshine, it did come as a surprise during the 36-hole championship match of the 44th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Troon Country Club.

A little extra moisture didn’t bother 38-year-old Brandon Holtz, who  played four seasons as a reserve shooting guard at Division I Illinois State University (2005-09) in Normal, just a couple of miles from his hometown of Bloomington. After all, just walking the hilly Tom Weiskopf design in the mid-90-degree heat all week created some perspiration.

So, why not sweat out a few more holes? Thirty-four to be exact.

The realtor and reinstated amateur – he tried the mini-tour circuit for six years and continued playing his state open until getting his status back in 2024 – delivered when he had to against Jeg Coughlin III, 28, of Dublin, Ohio, in a 3-and-2 victory. He becomes the second Illinois State graduate to win a title after Todd Mitchell (2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball). Mitchell was the Mid-Amateur runner-up 17 years ago at Milwaukee Country Club.

Holtz, competing in his first USGA championship, not only added his name to the illustrious champions on the Robert T. Jones Trophy, but also earned an exemption into next year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and a likely invitation to the Masters Tournament in April.

Those are nice perks for someone who admittedly has advanced to U.S. Open final qualifying more than a half-dozen times.

“Wild,” said Holtz when asked what it meant to join the pantheon of legendary players as a USGA champion. “I kept my pro card for a while just because I liked to play for cash, and it got to the point where I just wasn't playing any events anymore, so decided to get my amateur status back last year. I didn't see this day. I'm glad it's here, though.”

The coup de grace came on the downhill and drivable 308-yard, par-4 34th hole. Hitting second and showcasing the power in his arsenal, the 6-foot-2 Holtz, who is built like a linebacker, delivered the shot of the day, a drive to 7 feet left of the flagstick, to set up a match-winning eagle 2.

That was Holtz’s philosophy the entire week: Tee it high and let if fly.

When most of the competitors were playing conservative with hybrids, irons and metal woods off the tee, Holtz pulled out his driver whenever possible. His favorite club answered virtually every time.

“The driver got me here,” said Holtz, who watched Coughlin nearly hole a 60-footer for birdie on No. 34 after reaching the front of the green with his drive. “The driver is my strong club, and it's the reason I'm here. Honestly, when I was walking up to the [34th] tee, when [the USGA] had the tees moved up, it was going to be driver no matter what.”

Some 200 spectators came out to watch the final, more arriving after the morning shower passed through, giving way to bright sunshine and humid conditions.

A dozen of those supporters were from Bloomington, 10 of whom jumped into a private jet arranged by Andy Dusman, one of Holtz’s friends from Crestwicke Country Club. He and nine others flew down to Arizona on Thursday morning, and they made their presence felt with plenty of noise. Two other friends, Gavin Halsey and Jimmy Brown, were on property all week, along with his wife, Liz, brother Brent, and his father, Jeff, who served as his caddie. His stepmom, Gina, flew home on Wednesday, while his two young children, 2-year-old Millie and 5-year-old son remained back in Illinois.

On Wednesday, Holtz rallied from 3 down with five to play to beat Justin Hueber in 19 holes. On Tuesday, he played 13-under golf over two matches with no bogeys.

The golf wasn’t quite as sharp in the final as both players showed their nerves. Holtz won Nos. 4 and 6 with conceded eagle-2s after Coughlin found trouble off the tee. Holtz would still manage to shoot the equivalent of 4-under 67 (with concessions) and take a 3-up lead into the lunch break, thanks to a birdie on the closing par 4. Coughlin carded a 74 in the morning 18 and decided to do a little soul searching during the one-hour lunch break.

Before hitting a few balls on the range under the watchful eye of his caddie, two-time PGA Tour winner Kevin Streelman, Coughlin found a quiet space in the clubhouse and did some meditating with girlfriend Madelaine Fahlgren. He changed his shirt, too.

But it took a few holes to get going. Holtz won Nos. 19 and 20 with pars and lipped out a birdie putt on the 25th hole to go 6 up. Coughlin made a 12-footer on the next hole, and he was conceded a birdie on No. 27 after hitting his approach to 3 feet. Meanwhile, Holtz badly missed the fairway, right into the desert. That trimmed the margin to 2 up going to the final nine holes. Another birdie by Coughlin at 10 cut the margin to 1 up.

Suddenly, what looked like a possible rout was now a tight affair.

“I was super fighting my golf game early,” said Coughlin, a former Ohio State golfer who briefly tried professional golf before regaining his amateur status five years ago and joining the family investment business. “I was super nervous. Desert golf is so tight; if you start to lose your swing a little bit, it's gone. I had to change my clothes midway through the round because I was in the desert so much.

“But he played really well. I think we showed our talent a little better [in the afternoon 18]. Had a great match going there, but just a little too late. What a shot he hit there on the [34th hole.”

That would be as close as Coughlin would get. Holtz birdied the 29th hole, a par 5, and recorded a 2 on the par-3 31st, a hole that is modeled after the Postage Stamp Hole (No. 8) at Royal Troon. A hiccup on the 32nd – Holtz mis-clubbed from the fairway and airmailed the green into desert – led to a lost hole, setting up his heroics two holes later.

“Just keep grinding,” said Holtz on his mindset when the match got tight. “Trust the process, trust your game, don't give up.”

What the Champion Receives

• A gold medal and custody of the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy for one year
  
  
• Exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships
  
  
• Exemptions into the 2026 and 2027 U.S. Amateur Championships at Merion Golf Club, in Ardmore, Pa., and Oak Hill Country Club, in Rochester, N.Y., respectively
  
  
• Exemption into the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, in Southampton, N.Y.
  
  
• Likely invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
  
  
• Name engraved on the 2025 USGA Champions’ plaque that will reside in the Hall of Champions inside the USGA Museum & Library, in Liberty Corner, N.J.

Notable

• Runner-up Jeg Coughlin III received a silver medal as well as exemptions into the next three U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships, a spot in the 2026 U.S. Amateur and an exemption from local qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Open.
  
  
• Next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur will be contested at Sand Valley Resort in Nekoosa, Wis.
  
  
• Logan Rasmussen, the head of Rules and Competitions for the Arizona Golf Association, served as the referee for the morning 18 of the championship match. Dennis Reed, a member at Troon Country Club, was the afternoon referee. Austin Pelias, the championships manager for the Arizona Golf Association, was the first-tee starter all week.
  
  
• Thursday’s championship match was the final USGA event for Bill McCarthy, who has served as the director of the U.S. Mid-Amateur since 2010 before announcing his retirement earlier this year. A Cleveland, Ohio, resident who has been with the Association for 30 years, McCarthy has also served as the director of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball since its inception in 2015, and previously oversaw the now-retired USGA Men’s State Team and U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships. McCarthy, a St. Bonaventure University graduate, also provided Rules assistance at a number of other USGA championships, including the U.S. Open.
  
  
• Brandon Holtz’s U.S. Mid-Amateur journey actually started at his home course, Crestwicke Country Club, in Bloomington, Ill., where he shot a 63 in a qualifier to earn medalist honors by four strokes.

Quotable

“Oh, there's a list. You know, there's a list for sure. Whoever likes to have fun and talk a little trash. That's who I'd like to play with.” – Brandon Holtz when asked about possible practice-round partners at the Masters and U.S. Open

“I'm not going to speak for everybody, but I'd say 99.9 percent of golfers dream for that. Like I 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. Then the U.S. Open, not to discredit the U.S. Open at all, I've made it to sectionals in the U.S. Open probably seven times and just haven't been able to crack it. But here I am.” – Holtz on playing in two majors next year

“They're not here, no. We kept them at home. Those two are wild.” – Holtz on not traveling with his two young children

“I learned a lot about myself on that second 18. I had good composure, good fight. [My caddie] Kevin [Streelman] did such a great job of trying to motivate me. My family behind me did such a good job trying to ground me, and we just took time to honestly try to slow down and just rely on my faith, too, my faith in God. Learned a lot this week for sure.” – Jeg Coughlin III

“We had a great match. What a week. Just a marathon of a week. It's definitely the most amount of golf holes I've ever played in my life in a stretch like that.” – Coughlin III

“It’s a huge deal. I played in the U.S. Amateur at Olympic [last month], and when I saw it’s at Merion next year, I was really hoping to make it. To know we’re going [to Merion] next year, and it’s a USGA championship, is a dream.” – Coughlin III

David Shefter is a senior staff writer at the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.