Ian Holt ('18) Invited to PGA Championship for First Pro Golf Major Event
5/13/2026 1:54:00 PM | Men's Golf
Ian Holt is one of three Golden Flashes Alums playing in the PGA Championship this weekend. However, for Holt, this marks his first major tournament invitation.
Holt received a special exemption to play in the PGA Championship, the only all-professional major championship, to be played outside Philadelphia, at Aronimink Golf Club. The PGA Championship is one of professional golf's four major championships, joining the Masters, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship (also known as the British Open).
Holt is the current season leader of the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA's Developmental Tour, making eight of eight cuts, six top 25s and 2 wins this season.
The 2018 alumnus, while wearing Kent State Blue and Gold, Holt earned three collegiate victories and back-to-back Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year honors in 2017 and 2018, joining a short list of program greats alongside names like Ben Curtis, Jon Mills and Corey Conners.
As a junior, Holt set Kent State program records for eagles in a season (7) and par-5 scoring average (4.605), while his 18-under 198 at the Cleveland State Invitational broke Curtis' 17-year-old 54-hole program record. He carded 160 birdies on the year — three shy of the school record.
As a senior, Holt captured medalist honors at the 2018 MAC Championship, earned All-America Second Team recognition and posted a 71.23 season scoring average — second-best in program history behind only Curtis. He still ranks fourth all-time at Kent State with a career scoring average of 72.50.
Holt will join Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith as the Golden Flashes at the PGA Championship.
Holt tees off Thursday at 12:48 p.m. alongside Keith Mitchell and Billy Horschel.
