-
Todd Archer, Editor of ESPN
FORT WORTH, Texas — Michael block I want to apologize to my friends.
“I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you,” said Block, who finished 15th at the PGA Championship last week and was subsequently waived by the sponsor from this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge at the PGA Championship. Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. “I literally scroll and scroll and scroll, and it never ends. I can’t even go to the bottom of any of my feeds to see how many or who are seeing me. So, that’s crazy.”
But there was a message he received on Tuesday that he could come back. It comes from Michael Jordan.
It seems the Hall of Famer basketball and golf enthusiast noticed Block wearing Jordan shoes last week at Oak Hill Country Club.
“I’ve been a big Jordan all my life,” says Block. “I was a kid in Iowa who saved up $100 for a pair of Jordans the other day.” “Pretty awesome, to say the least.”
And Jordan’s message?
“There’s something about the way that what he sees is why he loves the game of golf so much,” Block said.
Block’s 1-over finish at the PGA Championship last week caught the attention of golf fans everywhere. By finishing in 15th, he automatically qualified for next year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club and it was the best record for a professional club at the pro tournament. It’s been since 1986. According to the latest official World Golf Rankings, released Monday, he’s gone from 3,580 to 577.
“I said a lot, but it was just a dream,” Block said after finishing a round of scrims. “I’m just going for a walk. I’m really glad because at this point I don’t realize the reality of what’s going on so I can actually play pretty good golf. I think if I sat down and thinking about it too much, I’m not sure I can swing the club on Thursday.”
Block’s ace on the 151-yard 15th hole was the first hit in the PGA Championship since 2020 and the first by a PGA club professional at the PGA Championship since 1996. The 7 iron that he uses is currently in high demand.
On Monday, he told 1310 The Ticket in Dallas he was offered $30,000 for the club. He has received many more offers since then.
“It’s crazy, isn’t it? Initial response was $50,000 and I’ll hand-deliver. It’s a bit of a joke, but I guess not really anymore,” Block said. “But I’ve had other people ask about it to be able to preserve it in certain locations for the PGA, etc., things like that. So it’s been up in the air. Right now, it’s just needs to take shots nearby for me, and I’ll go from there.”
Max Homa called Block, the pro head at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California, a “southern California legend,” having competed in tournaments with him in the past. Block played nine games ago at Colonial Tuesday with Beau Hossler, another Southern California golfer. When he started at number 10, Jordan Spieth And Zach Johnson watching.
“It’s great to see someone, if you go to the US Amateur or the US Mid-Am and you see how great those players are, and they have a job,” Homa said. “I spend the whole day here practicing golf. That’s all I have to do, and he can still hit me really well.”
Ryan Palmer was practicing at the Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas, and witnessed Block’s hole-in-one. He’s curious how Block’s game will withstand the pressure on the weekend of a big game against Justin rose And Rory McIlroy.
“I think it’s just one of those stories that golf has been around for a long time,” Palmer said. “The game is in such a great place, the PGA Tour, the people that are playing every week, the people that are winning, I think it’s stronger than ever, but I think a lot of that also has to do with what’s been going on. happening. going on in the golf world, the battle is going on, I guess you can say it together, I think it’s cool to watch.”
Block received a donor waiver on Sunday and flew to Dallas/Ft. Worth it on Monday. He was at the Colony mid-morning Tuesday for a round of scrims. He’s brought the same suit from last week in Rochester, New York, but that doesn’t help the hotter weather in Texas.
“I didn’t bring any shorts,” Block said. “So I’ll try to get some shorts here [so] At least when I’m out here to practice [Wednesday]I’ll put on my shorts.”
The limelight was gone for Block. After wrapping up Tuesday’s press conference, he spent about an hour dealing with other media obligations. He calls future Hall of Famer baseball Albert Pujols one of his closest friends. He plays often with Patrick Cantlay. He was paired on Thursday with friends Min Woo Lee.
This is his first time playing Colonial, Ben Hogan’s home ground.
“The pitch is pleasing to my eyes, lots of cutting points,” says Block. “You have to go pretty straight. And the green is perfect. I have a little rye grass around the green. Honestly, it fits me a lot better than last week.”
The most encouraging part of last week wasn’t all recognition and congratulations.
“It’s my golf game good enough,” Block said, his voice hoarse. “Yeah, that my game may be over with these people.”
