In December 2005, Paul Holtby was crowned Champion of The Golf Channel’s hit reality show, The Big Break IV - USA vs. Europe. After 12 episodes and 10 eliminations, the Big Break IV had narrowed the group down to just two players - Paul Holtby of the USA and Guy Woodman from Team Europe. The format to determine the winner was 18 holes of match play at the famed Carnoustie Golf Club in Scotland. And although the format was simple, the stakes were high: entries into two 2006 European Tour events along with other valuable prizes. With cast and crew watching and the cameras rolling, Holtby secured his victory by sinking a 12-foot putt to win the match at the 18th hole. "Twenty-five years of playing golf, 15 years as a professional - down to 10 seconds. It’s been an incredible journey," Holtby said in an interview following the event.

Holtby boasts an impressive golfing resume, which includes a successful junior golf career and playing six events on the PGA Tour and fifteen events on the Nationwide Tour. Coming into The Big Break IV, he had been successful at his last five Monday qualifiers, which put him in the field at the Buick Invitational and Nissan Open on the PGA TOUR in 2004 and 2005 and the Mark Christopher Charity Classic on the Nationwide Tour in 2004.

Born and raised in Simi Valley, California, Paul first picked up a club at age 10 and began playing regularly at 14. "I like the concept that you, alone, are responsible for your successes and failures," he said. "You reap what you sow." Notable accomplishments along the way include 15 holes-in-one, 15 course scoring records and shooting a low round of 61 in official competition. He also has received the honor of Player of the Year from the Southern California PGA Section. Currently, he is a PGA Class A member and a teaching professional at the Tom Barber Golf Center in Moorpark, CA.

In 2006, Paul is looking forward to using the exemptions he earned on The Big Break IV to play the European Tour’s Algarve Open de Portugal in March and the Celtic Manor Wales Open in June. When Paul is not golfing, he enjoys spending time with his children, reading and working on home improvement projects.