Curiosity surrounds Holly Sonders’ current whereabouts, particularly among those who remember her from her days on the Golf Channel. Her name continues to surface on social media, and reruns of her Golf Channel appearances remain, keeping her in the public eye.
While Holly Sonders has largely stepped away from the Golf Channel, her presence online is far from diminished. There is a wealth of new content featuring her. However, this content takes a different direction, diverging from the professional and polished image she once portrayed on television.
Fans who followed her career on the Golf Channel might be surprised by the shift in her focus. Her latest projects embrace a more risqué and bold approach. This evolution marks a significant departure from her earlier work, showcasing a side of Holly Sonders that might be unexpected to those familiar with her past. Here’s what to know about Holly Sonders’ new chapter.
Who Is Holly Sonders?
Holly Sonders was born Holly Niederkohr on March 3, 1987, in Marysville, Ohio, in the United States. She was born to American parents, Sandy Niederkohr, a golf player, and Dan Niederkohr, an optometrist. She attended high school in her hometown and went to Michigan State University, where she graduated in 2009.
Upon matriculation, Sonders enrolled at Michigan State University, from which she graduated in 2009 with a major in Journalism.
Holly was born into a golf-loving family. Unsurprisingly, her passion for golf and other sports was developed very early on in her life. She attributes this passion to the influence of her mother, who, as we mentioned before, was an avid golfer.
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Holly wanted to become a professional golf player from a very young age. She began to blossom as a golfer during her teenage years. As a 14-year-old girl, Holly won the American Junior Golf Association and UCT National championships.
When she took her talents to Michigan State’s university team, success followed. In addition to competing in the US Women’s Amateur Championships, she helped the Spartans win the Big Ten Championship. She was also honored with an Academic All-Big Ten award and participated several times in the NCAA Regional tournament and the NCCA Championship.
Holly’s dream of becoming a professional golfer was lost. She had to get knee surgery at the age of 20, which greatly limited her potential as a pro.
How Did Holly Sonders Rise to Fame?
Holly Sonders put her journalism degree to use shortly after graduation. Undoubtedly, her outstanding academic performance, her charming personality, and experience as a golfer made her a desirable candidate almost immediately. Being a female in a male-dominated industry, she was able to stand out and climb the corporate ladder of success very rapidly.
She worked initially for WBNS-10TV in Columbus and the Big Ten Network and then spent some time as a field reporter for KATV.
Holly’s career elevated to another level in 2011 when she joined NBC’s Golf Channel. She leveraged her journalism experience, her expertise as a golfer, and her good looks to get in the door—and once she did, there was no stopping her.
During her stint with the Golf Channel, Holly had unprecedented success. She had the chance to become an integral part of popular television programs such as “Playing Lesson With The Pros,” “Morning Drive,” and “School Of Golf.” Sonders also collaborated with her future husband, Erik Kuselias.
In 2013, she was on the cover of Golf Digest and appeared in its fitness issue. In 2015, the Michigan State grad moved to Hollywood for a job with FOX Sports. There, she was a sideline reporter for college football games. She was also part of their coverage for the 2015 US Open, but after some awkward interviews, the network decided to move her back to the studio for the following year’s tournament.
Then, during the 2017 US Open, Sonders’ outfits during her in-studio interviews began to attract plenty of attention (and criticism) from viewers. Fans were beginning to notice the appearance enhancements and changes that would serve as foreshadowing for some of her future career moves.
How Did She Met De La Hoya?
Holly Sonders and Oscar De La Hoya first met at Bally’s Fight Night in June 2021. Sonders, who hosted the event, interviewed various active and retired boxers. Her interviews allowed her to meet De La Hoya, who co-created the event with KO Entertainment and played a significant role in it. To mark the occasion, Sonders shared a photo on Twitter of herself interviewing De La Hoya on stage, highlighting the excitement of the live boxing event.
By August 2021, the two were seen together on a date at Nobu in Malibu, with photos surfacing on TMZ. However, they didn’t make their relationship official on Instagram until November of that year.
Sonders continues to attend boxing events with De La Hoya, including the highly anticipated match between Ryan Garcia, De La Hoya’s client, and Devin Haney in April 2024. After the match, Sonders shared her positive thoughts on Garcia’s performance in a video posted by Pro Boxing Fans on YouTube. That same night, she posted a video on Instagram showing her walking through the venue’s backstage area with De La Hoya by her side.
What About Holly’s Past Relationships?
Despite the buttoned up image you might remember Holly Sonders for—she has had a rather tumultuous love life over the years. Sonders was briefly married to Erik Kuselias who is known for his work as a television and radio host. They became engaged in 2012 and wed at a secret ceremony a few years after their affair had started.
Their relationship was riddled with scandal. It turned out that Erik’s former first wife had hired a private investigator. The P.I. caught Erik amid multiple extramarital affairs, including with Sonders.
Sonders spent several years married to Kuselias, but in 2016, she announced via her official Twitter account that she had filed for a divorce. She was also rumored to be dating the Arizona Cardinals head coach, Kliff Kingsbury. Unsurprisingly, that did not last long, either.
However, Holly seemed hopeful that her latest love interest would be in it for the long haul. Sonders has shared news of her engagement on Instagram, taking the next step in her whirlwind romance with Dave “Vegas Dave” Oancea. Over the years, Oancea has been a big-time bettor in many Las Vegas circles.
According to Page Six, the couple started dating relatively recently and went on a trip to Mexico to celebrate Dave’s 43rd birthday grandly. Oancea showed off a fancy birthday cake shaped like a Birkin Bag, which Sonders ordered for the occasion. He’s a huge collector of the luxury bag. Dave decided it was time to pop the question. Just like that, the two were engaged.
What Is Holly Sonders’ Net Worth?
Holly Sonders’ net worth is between $6.5 and $8 million. After leaving the Golf Channel for Fox Sports in 2014, she continued to build her brand online, notably launching a fitness app in 2020. Her OnlyFans account, which she started in 2021, brought in 20 times more income than her Golf Channel salary. Sonders also benefits from her relationship with Oscar De La Hoya, who gifted her a $1 million Ferrari in 2022. Her net worth could increase further with the success of her new venture, Exposed Sportz, where she serves as founder and CEO.
Does Holly Sonders Have Social Media?
Holly Sonders is quite active on social media. Particularly on Instagram, she has amassed 694,000 followers under the handle @holly.sonders. She frequently shares insights into her personal life and lifestyle, and she also promotes her OnlyFans page through her posts.
