Holtz Birdies Two of Last Three to Win Minnesota State Junior Boys’

Heading into the final round in a three-way tie for first place, Jack Holtz broke away from the pack with a final round 1-under-par 71 to win the Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship by two shots at Little Crow Country Club in Spicer.

Holtz, tied after two rounds with Justin Luan and Cameron Stenzel at 1-under-par, carded four birdies against three bogeys to claim the victory.

Holtz got off to a slow start bogeying the par-3 second hole to drop to even-par for the championship and out of the lead.

He quickly rebounded with a birdie at the par-4 to regain a share of the lead and added another birdie at the par-4 seventh to get to 2-under-par for the championship and into the solo lead.

He finished his front nine with a pair of pars to make the turn at 1-under-par for the day. Starting the back nine, he bogeyed the 11th and 14th to fall to even par for the championship, 1-over for the day and back into a tie for the lead - making things interesting.

Following the missteps, Holtz would make the decisive shots of the tournament on the 16th and 17th holes to take control.

Holtz hit his approach shot on the 16th hole to nine feet and would make the birdie putt to retake the lead and 1-under-par and would hit his drive just in front of the 320-yard par-4 17th. From there, he would two putt for birdie to get to 2-under-par and essentially close out the tournament.

“One of the best shots of the day was hitting it to about nine feet on 16 and making the putt, it got the momentum going. Then after that, making birdie from the front of the green on 17 sealed the deal,” Holtz said following his round.

The final margin of victory ended up being two shots over second round co-leader Justin Luan and Carson Boe.

“It means a lot. It was such a great tournament, with a bunch of great players. Staying in it and making a few clutch putts coming in feels very good.”

With the win Wednesday, Holtz claims his second state win with the other being last year at the Minnesota PGA Junior 'Sota Series Players Tour Tournament of Champions at Royal Golf Club.

Second round co-leaders Justin Luan and Cameron Stenzel shot a final round 73 and 77, respectively, to finish in a tie for second and tied for tenth. Carson Boe shot a final round 3-under-par 69 to vault up the leaderboard into a tie for second place.