Most golfers who play in the Masters spend their entire lives training for Augusta National.
Bloomington native, Brandon Holtz, though, spends most of his time as a father and husband who sells houses for a living.
Still, the 39-year-old real estate agent and former Illinois State basketball player somehow found himself walking the fairways at Augusta National in April after winning the 2025 U.S. Mid Amateur Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona.
So, how has this man, who hasn’t played professional golf in over 10 years, qualify for the most prestigious tournament in golf?
In September, Holtz shocked the amateur golf world by winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The victory earned him invitations to both the 2026 Masters and U.S. Open, putting him among the world’s best golfers, despite balancing golf with family life and a full-time job.
The win shocked the golfing scene, but Holtz has been playing golf his whole life.
“My dad had a club in my hands, probably, I don’t know, at four years or three years old,” Holtz remembered.
However, growing up, golf wasn’t his main focus.
“Golf’s always been secondary. You know, growing up, basketball was number one. I just, I like the pace, the physicality of it. I always played, just didn’t really play at the competitive level… like I was with basketball,” Holtz noted.
Holtz played basketball his whole childhood and ended up playing D1 at Illinois State University.
“I was just naturally good at basketball, and, you know, when you’re naturally good at something, you just want to keep practicing to be, you know, the best you can,” Holtz stated.
Holtz credits his basketball career for many of his most important life lessons about work ethic and perseverance.
“I started my freshman year, didn’t really play much, you know, after that. But I kept working… I kept putting my shoes on. I kept going outside, kept doing the things that you need to do to get to where you want to go,” Holtz stated.
However, after graduating from college in 2010, basketball didn’t feel the same.
“I was playing in rec leagues after college, and my body wasn’t moving the same way. So it got a little frustrating, and it’s painful. It hurts, you know, trying to move like that. So golf was, you know, a different avenue, and less stressful on the body,” Holtz noted.
So, Holtz, with a deeply competitive spirit, decided to take a different route and switch to competitive golf.
“I had a bucket to fill, and it wasn’t full yet. So I, you know, I leaned into golf to take that competitive, you know, that competitive juice from basketball to another sport in golf… and I became a competitive golfer,” Holtz stated.
He played competitive golf for a little bit, but at first, it ended up not working out for him.
“So, right out of college, I went and played professionally for about 4 years… I wasn’t affiliated with any big tour and didn’t have any status anywhere, but did that…” Holtz added.
Holtz then decided to switch his game plan again and go into sales.
“I got into Riddell Sports as a salesman, selling football equipment. But when COVID hit, the youth sports, which I was a youth sales guy, were just not happening. So they ended up getting rid of all the new sales positions,” Holtz stated.
He explored a few other jobs, working as a house contractor for about a year and a half before deciding to go in a different direction with Remax real estate.
“I have my own business in real estate, and, you know, I get to pick and choose my hours… A lot of real estate is done, you know, after working hours, ’cause everyone has their nine to five. So I could go, you know, have the flexibility to go play golf in the afternoon, and then meet clients at night,” Holtz added.
As this career opened doors for Holtz’s golf game to grow, he also recognized that in order to continue to strive for excellence, he had to be in great physical shape.
Since his real estate schedule is flexible, Holtz has more time to do what he needs to do to stay in shape.
“I usually go to the gym, I’m down about 40 pounds from about two years ago. So I go to the gym three, four times a week in the morning… and then, you know, in the afternoon, maybe get away and hit some balls or go play,” Holtz stated.
He also credits his wife for letting him achieve his goals and always being with him every step of the way.
“It’s a lot of time management, for sure. And, you know, having my wife on board with all of this really helps too, because she, you know, picks up some of the slack when I’m, you know, trying to practice and play,” Holtz admitted.
Balancing golf, work, and family often means missed time at home and long weeks from his wife and children while traveling for tournaments.
In September of last year, Brandon won the US Mid-Amateur tournament, which qualified him to play in this year’s Masters and US Open tournaments.
Brandon’s father held lifetime tournament badges, so he had been there as a kid around 15 times.
“That initial, like, shell shock of, oh, I’m at, at Augusta, you know, wasn’t there for me, just because I’ve already been there,” Holtz noted.
But at Augusta, it’s totally different being on the other side of the ropes.
“The access we had to all the buildings… the access we had to the patrons… It was incredible,” Holtz stated.
Walking the same course as golf legends was surreal for Holtz, especially after spending years attending the tournament as a fan with his father.
But the pressure of playing in the biggest tournament in golf is second to none.
“Well, still, I mean, still, my heart’s racing. I’m out there playing with Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, and all those guys. I’m like, this is real life?” Holtz stated.
Holtz finished the tournament at 15-over-par and missed the cut, but simply competing at Augusta was already a life-changing accomplishment for the amateur golfer.
It was a dream come true for Holtz, and he was surprised with how nice all of the pros were.
“The one that stuck out to me most is Tommy Fleetwood… he was just a very genuine guy, down to earth. And then, you know, the whole week… he’d go out of his way to come say hi. We see them as robots, as golfers, and they are, because they’re really that d*** good. But they’re also people too,” Holtz stated.
On the Wednesday before the first day of the tournament, the Masters has a par-3 contest where the players can play with their wives and children.
“Probably the most nervous I was all week, is trying to hit these little half wedge shots,” Holtz remembered.
At the contest he also had his favorite moment of the week when his son took over for him on the green.
“My son got up there… Just knock it right in the back of the hole. And I’m like, holy cow, you know, the crowd goes wild. That was probably my most favorite moment for sure,” Holtz remembered.
With his victory in the US Mid-am, Holtz also punched his ticket to the US Open in New York during mid June.
But with his experience at The Masters, Holtz feels prepared for his next major.
“…Hopefully just overall, the physical side and just the golf game will be much better, and then just mentally having an idea, what everything looks like,” Holtz stated.
Even though he knows it’s a long shot, Holtz is still aiming high.
“I mean, I’d be really happy making a cut. Obviously,… do I want to win? Yeah, of course I want to win. I’m pretty realistic, though. Obviously this is not my full time job, you know, my expectations are, let’s just play good, and whatever happens, happens,” Holtz admitted.
When asked what advice he would give to younger people chasing their dreams, Holtz said this: “I think, you know, never give up on whatever dream you’re chasing. Work hard because all the hard work you put in today, you might not see tomorrow, but down the road, eventually it’s gonna come to you.
“All those balls I hit at night, all those balls I hit in the morning. You know, just all the things you don’t want to do, you do them.”
Reflecting on his journey, Holtz is grateful and still processing his new reality.
“Did I ever see myself here? Sure, you know as a little kid thinking, I can achieve the world,” Holtz said.
“But at 39, I didn’t ever see this day coming. I’m glad it’s here, though.”
From Division I basketball to real estate to Augusta National, Holtz’s journey proves that dreams do not always follow a straight path.
