Michael Block, the obscure membership skilled who stole the present on the PGA Championship, has obtained numerous congratulatory messages since his exceptional achievement however admitted that one soared increased than the remaining.
Block has so many messages that he has not even been in a position to scroll to the underside of a seemingly unending feed however did reveal that one from earlier on Tuesday got here from six-time NBA champion and avid golfer Michael Jordan.
“I mean, getting a text from Michael Jordan today, that’s — I’m a big Jordan guy my whole life,” Block advised reporters forward of this week’s PGA Tour occasion in Fort Worth, Texas, the place he’s competing on a sponsor’s exemption at Colonial Country Club.
“I was a little kid in Iowa saving 100 bucks for a pair of Jordans back in the day. Pretty darn cool, to say the least.
“It was something in the way that what he saw is why he loves the game of golf so much.”
The 46-year-old Block, a down-to-earth head skilled at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California, authored a feel-good story on the PGA Championship the place bolstered by a final-round ace, he completed in a share of fifteenth place.
For his efforts, Block was given a sponsor’s exemption to play on this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge in a area that features world primary Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland, who each completed joint runner-up on the PGA Championship.
“It’s just a dream. I’m just cruising. I’m actually kind of glad that at this point I haven’t come to the reality about what’s happening so I can actually play pretty good golf,” stated Block. “I think, if I sit down and think about it too much, I’m not sure I could swing the club on Thursday.”
Block arrived on the PGA Championship as an unknown amount as one in every of 20 educating professionals within the 156-player area at Oak Hill however over the span of 4 days captivated {the golfing} world along with his efficiency.
Prior to Oak Hill, Block missed the reduce in all six majors he had beforehand performed and made the reduce in 4 of 24 profession begins on the PGA Tour. He had final made a reduce in 2015.
But that didn’t cease Block from firing two consecutive even-par 70 rounds at a making an attempt Oak Hill course to comfortably make the reduce en path to the very best end by a membership skilled in a PGA Championship since 1986.
During Sunday’s remaining spherical Block even delivered the signature second of the match when his tee shot on the par-three fifteenth soared by way of the air and slammed into the outlet with out even touching the inexperienced for a hole-in-one.
Fans will undoubtedly be watching to see what Block can do for an encore. After spending simply 20 hours at Colonial for the primary time, Block was wanting to get going and feels the structure suits his eye.
“A lot of cuts off the tee. You’ve got to be pretty straight. And the greens are perfect. I’ve got a nice little ryegrass around the green,” stated Block. “To be honest, it fits me a lot better than it did last week.”
