Who is Brandon Holtz? Meet 39-year-old real estate broker playing as an amateur at Augusta

Who is Brandon Holtz? Meet 39-year-old real estate broker playing as an amateur at Augusta originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As the field competes for the green jacket at the Masters, the amateurs are in a separate competition for the low-am at the end of the weekend. This year, amongst a field of young amateurs looking to make a career in golf, one of them is a 39-year-old father of two with a full-time job.

Brandon Holtz enters Masters week as the unlikeliest member of the 91-person field, since the amateur golfer is older than many of the top competitors. These kind of stories usually happen at the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, with the Masters using the smallest field of the four majors.

However, Holtz's victory at the Mid-Amateur Championship earned him a spot to compete at Augusta National this week, providing a story for the first few days. Get to know Brandon Holtz before his Masters debut.

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Who is Brandon Holtz?

Brandon Holtz is a 39-year-old real estate agent who is competing in the 2026 Masters as one of six amateurs in the field. Holtz is an unlikely participant, as he played basketball in college an attempted professional golf for four years over a decade ago.

However, Holtz returned to competitive golf in 2024, which led to him winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 2025. As a result, Holtz earned a spot in the Masters, allowing him to participate in the event after years of attending as a fan.

MORE:Everything to know about the Masters Green Jacket

Brandon Holtz golf career

After graduating college, Holtz attempted to turn pro in golf and played four years as a professional golfer in mini tours throughout the United States. While he rarely missed the cut at those events, he never won outright and struggled to make money doing this full-time.

Holtz spent a decade away from professional golf before giving it another go in 2024, regaining his amateur status in the process. Last year, Holtz won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which came with an invitation to compete in the Masters this year.

Holtz has been to Augusta many times as a fan, as his dad, Jeff, received lifetime badges to the Masters. Now, he gets to actually play in this event and the U.S. Open.

"I'm not going to speak for everybody, but I'd say 99.9 percent of golfers dream for that," Holtz said. "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's goal this week appears more to compete with the five other amateurs than for the green jacket itself, but he will still try to win the whole thing.

"I'm a pretty realistic guy, the chances of me going out and winning the whole thing is a pretty low percent but I'm a competitor," Holtz said. "I want to make the cut and just want to compete for that low am."

MORE:Complete list of Masters winners by year

What does Brandon Holtz do for work?

Holtz sold sports equipment in the late-2010s, but changed careers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Holtz works as a real estate broker for ReMax in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.

Holtz has held this job for four years, and it has allowed him to use a flexible schedule to get more serious about golf on the side. Additionally, it isn't much of a surprise that Holtz earned a sponsorship with State Farm ahead of the Masters this weekend.

MORE:Why is the Masters always at Augusta National?

Brandon Holtz handicap

Holtz competed in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which means at the time, Holtz's handicap was no better than +2.4. The U.S. Mid-Am is eligible for any player 25-or-older whose handicap is no better than +2.4.

MORE:Inside the Augusta National Golf Club’s membership rules

Brandon Holtz OWGR

Holtz is unranked on the Official World Golf Rankings, but he is ranked No. 3,262 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Holtz has played in just three events that count toward the Amateur rankings: the Mid-Am Championship last year, and the Jones Cup Invitational and Gasparilla Invitational.

MORE:How do playoffs work at the Masters?

Brandon Holtz college basketball career

Before he went professional in golf, Holtz played college basketball for Illinois State from 2005-2009. Holtz played four seasons for the Redbirds, appearing in 87 games an averaging 2.7 points per game while primarily serving as the team's three-point specialist.

As a high-schooler, Holtz once scored 68 points in a basketball game, which helped him earn a scholarship to Illinois State. However, his basketball career fizzled after college, leading him to attempt professional golf.