Brandon Holtz, a 39-year-old real estate pro with RE/MAX Rising in Bloomington, Ill., is competing in the Masters Tournament for the first time—and he’s attracting a lot of news headlines. Described by Golf Week as the “everyman” at the Masters, Holtz is competing as one of six amateurs in a field of 91. Golf Digest even called him one of the most interesting players at the Masters this year, even more than stars like Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler, because of his relatable Cinderella story.
Holtz earned his spot at Augusta by winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship last September, which also qualifies him for the U.S. Open this June.
“Have I teed the ball up in front of 50,000? No, but have I played in front of 20,000? I have,” Holtz recently told The Sun. “I did things that may not have made sense to a lot of people, but it got the job done. And that’s exactly what my golf game is. It’s not a bad swing, in my opinion, but it’s not like I’ve been taught.”
A former Division I basketball star at Illinois State University, Holtz traded in his basketball for golf clubs after graduation in 2009. He played 15–20 events a year for four years. Marriage, children and financial responsibilities led him to put golf on pause and then focus on building a real estate career.
But in 2023, he reinstated his amateur status and returned to competitive play, winning in September his first USGA comeback event—the U.S. Mid-Amateur, which earned him a ticket to Augusta.
Exemplary of his dedication to perfecting both his swing and his real estate sales, Holtz hasn’t missed a beat during his travels, says John Armstrong, RE/MAX managing broker and owner.
“Ten minutes before his tee time in his championship match to qualify for The Masters, he was on the phone with his transaction coordinator scheduling an open house,” Armstrong says. “The Monday before The Masters, after his practice round and after interviews with the media, Brandon was working on a listing to go live this Wednesday. Brandon is truly a very humble man; he really is the every-day-[real estate agent].”
Holtz is no stranger to the Masters—but he’s new to playing on this side of it. He has long traveled to Augusta National with his father, Jeff, who won two lifetime badges in 2004, which gave them access to the Masters as spectators each year since. His father will serve as his caddie this week at the tournament.
“We’ve always been there wondering, ‘what’s behind that rope? What’s in that building?’ Holtz told The Sun. “And this year, we get to find out. That’s going to be the most special. … [I’m going to] enjoy the moment. Take it in, one shot at a time.” And who knows, he adds, “maybe shock the world a little bit” as a bonus.
Update: For the second straight year, no amateur made the cut after Round 2, but Holtz's finished the tourney strongly, trimming three strokes from his Round 1 score. See Holtz's Official Scorecard, and get ready to see him play at the 2026 U.S. Open, which takes place June 18–21 at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
