Ian Holt wins after final round cancelled at Explore NB Open

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – Ian Holt carded a third-round 9-under 62 to claim his first career victory at the Explore NB Open after the final round was canceled Sunday afternoon due to unplayable course conditions. Rookie John Keefer posted his second consecutive runner-up finish in his third start as a professional. Evan Brown recorded his third top-10 of the season with a solo third finish.

Initially, 36 holes were to be played on Sunday due to inclement weather on Thursday postponing the start of the event until Friday. Although the final round began in the afternoon on Sunday, inclement weather persisted, and the PGA TOUR Americas Rules Committee decided to cancel the final round with the last group on the seventh hole. Holt was part of a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after Friday’s first round. He shot a second-round 62 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead, and he led by four after carding another 62 on Sunday morning in the third round. Holt carded 26 birdies in 54 holes and totaled 26-under for the tournament after three bogey-free rounds.

This week marked Holt’s third consecutive start on PGA TOUR Americas as he initially earned a spot in the opening event of the North America Swing via Monday qualifying. The 28-year-old solidified his spot in the Explore NB Open by claiming back-to-back top-25 finishes at The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist followed by the ATB Classic. Prior to this week, Holt made 62 PGA TOUR-sanctioned appearances, highlighted by two solo runner-up finishes on PGA TOUR Canada: once in his rookie season (2018 1932byBateman Open) and the latter in his final season on the Tour (2022 CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open).

Holt turned professional in 2018 after graduating from Kent State University, where he played four collegiate seasons (2014-18) and claimed three individual victories (2018 MAC Championships, 2017 The Gopher Invitational, 2016 Cleveland State Invitational). Notably, he earned 2018 All-America Second Team honors and back-to-back Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year awards (2017, 2018). Holt holds the second-lowest season scoring average at Kent State at 71.23 (0.49 under par).

Upon graduation from Kent State, Holt played on PGA TOUR Canada for four seasons and recorded the best finish of his career in 2022 as he claimed the No. 10 position in the Fortinet Cup. In 2023, Holt played primarily on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he appeared in 16 events. His only top-25 finish came at The Club Car Championship at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club. Without membership earlier this year, Holt competed in PGA TOUR Americas Q-School and earned conditional status for the North America Swing. With this week’s win, Holt becomes an exempt member for the remainder of the 2024 season and through the Latin America Swing.

“Mentally it was one of the rougher months I've had," said Holt. "The six months leading up to it after the Korn Ferry season were tough, just trying to pick myself back up and get back to being in the mindset of thinking and believing that I can do this, what I did today. The last three weeks were brutal, especially being by myself and making all these last-minute travel arrangements. It was tough, but it all paid off now.”

Holt is expected to be in the field at the Bromont Open presented by Desjardins, the fourth event of the North America Swing, which will be hosted at Golf Château Bromont from July 18-21 in Bromont, Québec, Canada.

About Ian Holt (first/-26) 

Age: 28
Birthplace: Stow, Ohio
Residence: Charleston, South Carolina
College: Kent State University
Fortinet Cup: 11th

• With the win, Holt becomes an exempt member on PGA TOUR Americas for the remainder of the 2024 season and through the Latin America Swing of 2025; earned 500 points and is No. 11 in the Fortinet Cup.
• Played four seasons at Kent State University (2014-18), earning a 2018 All-America Second Team laurel and back-to-back Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year awards in 2017 and 2018.
• A conditional member on PGA TOUR Americas after finishing inside the top 25 and ties at the British Columbia Q-School site last month; made his third consecutive start after Monday Qualifying into The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist and finishing inside the top 25 in back-to-back events.
• Frequently attended the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, as a kid and tried to get as many signatures as possible on his hat,
• Grew up playing Fox Den Golf Course in Stow, Ohio; he also worked on the maintenance crew throughout high school and college,
• In his amateur career, won the 2013 Hudson Junior Invitational and was a three-time OHSAA All-State selection who was medalist at the 2011 OHSAA DIVISION I State Championship,

Competition notes

 

Course setup: Par 71 / 7,020 yards; R3 average: 67.89

Weather: Sunnyand a high of 86. Wind from the west-southwest at 3-8 mph with gusts up to 16 mph.  

• The Explore NB Open was shortened to 54 holes due to inclement weather Sunday afternoon, resulting in unplayable course conditions.
• The 36-hole cut line of 7-under 135 (73 players) is the lowest cut line in PGA TOUR Americas history (previous lowest: 4-under/The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist).
• Mason Williams (T4/-18) posted the new course record and low round of the day at Mactaquac Golf Course in 11-under 60.
• Three Canadians finished in the top 25, led by Team Canada member Matthew Anderson (T7/-17) who is No. 2 in the Fortinet Cup, along with Drew Nesbitt (T18/-15) and A.J. Ewart (T25/-14).
• Colombia’s Ricardo Celia (T25/-14) finished as the low Latin.
• Jake Scott (T49/-10) led four Monday qualifiers in the field who made the cut, along with Charlie Nikitas (T43/-11), Matthew Sutherland (T49/-10) and Caleb Manuel (T56/-9).
• Hole No. 7 – the 510-yard par 4 – was the only hole over-par at Mactaquac Golf Course, averaging a +.070.