F
rom a Division I basketball court to a Bloomington real‑estate office, Brandon Holtz never pictured himself on a USGA leaderboard—until this week. The 44th USGA Mid‑Amateur at Troon Country Club and Troon North in Scottsdale drew 264 amateurs aged 25 and older from 19 nations. After two days of stroke play, the top 64 advanced to a single‑elimination bracket that whittled the field down to Holtz and Jeg Coughlin III.
Both men were new to Arizona’s heat, yet they outlasted the field, including nine Valley natives. The final, played on September 18 at Troon Country Club, saw Coughlin—a 28‑year‑old from Dublin, Ohio who briefly turned pro in 2019 and had appeared in three USGA events—fall to Holtz in a hard‑fought match.
Holtz, 38, had never competed in a USGA championship before. Though he’d played on a handful of PGA‑affiliated mini‑tours, he never viewed golf as a career, only a lifelong passion. “I always played,” he said. “After college I just gave it a shot. Not playing at the collegiate level taught me that the older you get, the wiser you become, and I hope to keep getting wiser with golf.” A former Illinois State basketball player, he now works as a real‑estate agent in Bloomington.
The final began at 7 a.m., with both competitors teeing off for two 18‑hole match‑play rounds. Early temperatures hovered in the high‑70s to low‑80s, but a sudden downpour caught everyone off guard. “I didn’t know Arizona could have weather like this,” Coughlin told a spectator. Holtz echoed the surprise, noting that the rain disrupted his rhythm. “I don’t mind the dry heat,” he said, “but the humidity and then the rain threw me off.”
Around 80 spectators—many friends and family—watched from the sidelines. Coughlin’s girlfriend and mother were among them, grounding him with their presence. Holtz flew in relatives, including his father Jeff, who served as caddie and calm voice. “Slow down, breathe,” Jeff advised when Holtz missed a short putt on hole 14. “It’ll come, man, it’ll come.”
After 34 tightly contested holes that stretched into the late afternoon, Holtz emerged victorious, winning 3 and 2. When asked what the title meant, he simply replied, “wild.” His triumph secures an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Open and likely an invitation to the Masters in April.
