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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
FORT WORTH, Texas — Michael Block wants to apologize to his friends.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you,” said Block, who finished 15th at the PGA Championship last week and then was granted a sponsor’s exemption to this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. “I’m literally scrolling and scrolling and scrolling, and it’s endless. I can’t even go to the bottom of any of my feeds to see how many or who’s seen me. So it’s crazy.”
But there was a text message that he received on Tuesday that he was back. This is from Michael Jordan.
It seems the basketball Hall of Famer and avid golfer spotted Block wearing Jordan brand shoes last week at Oak Hill Country Club.
“I’ve been a big Jordan guy my whole life. I was a little kid in Iowa saving up 100 bucks for a pair of Jordans back in the day,” Block said. “Pretty darn cool, to say the least.”
And Jordan’s message?
“It’s something about the way he sees it that’s why he loves the game of golf so much,” Block said.
Block’s 1-over finish at the PGA Championship last week captured the minds of golf fans everywhere. By finishing tied for 15th, he automatically qualified for next year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club and was the best finish by a club professional in that major since 1986. According to the latest In the Official World Golf Ranking, released on Monday, he jumped from 3,580 to No. 577.
“I’ve said a lot, but it’s just a dream,” said Block after the practice round. “I’m just cruising. I’m really happy that at this point I don’t know what’s going on so I can really play good golf. I think if I sit down and think about it a lot. , I’m not sure that I can join the club on Thursday.”
Block’s ace on the 151-yard 15th hole was the first in the PGA Championship since 2020 and the first by a PGA club pro in the PGA Championship since 1996. The 7-iron he used is now sought after.
On Monday, he told 1310 The Ticket in Dallas, he was offered $30,000 for the club. He has received more offers since then.
“It’s crazy, right? The first answer was it’s $50,000 and I’m going to deliver it. “But I’ve had other people ask about it that maybe it can be preserved in some places for the PGA, etc., something like that. So it’s up in the air. me, and I will go from there.”
Max Homa called Block, the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California, a “legend of southern California,” having played tournaments against him in the past. Block played the front nine at Colonial Tuesday with Beau Hossler, another southern California player. When he teed No. 10, Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson look on.
“It’s always amazing to see someone who, when you go to the US Amateur or the US Mid-Am and you see the players how good they are, and they have a job,” Homa said. “I spend all my days here practicing golf. That’s all I have to do, and he can still make me good.”
Ryan Palmer was practicing at the Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas, and spotted Block’s hole-in-one. He was surprised at how Block’s game could withstand the pressures of a major weekend with Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy.
“I think it’s just one of those stories that hasn’t happened in the game of golf in a while,” Palmer said. “The game is in a really good place, the PGA Tour, the guys that are playing every week, the guys that are winning, it’s stronger than ever, I think, but I think a lot of that has to do with of what’s been done. Going on in the world of golf, the battle that’s going on I guess you could say. To see a story like that, bring together fans who are golfers or non-golfers, I think that’s great let’s see.”
Block received a sponsor’s exemption on Sunday and flew to the Dallas/Ft. Worth on Monday. He will be at Colonial by noon on Tuesday for a round of practice. She brought the same outfit from last week in Rochester, New York, but that didn’t help the warmer weather in Texas.
“I never brought shorts,” said Block. “So I’m going to try to get some shorts here [so] at least when I’m here practicing [Wednesday]I’ll wear shorts.”
The spotlight wasn’t so great for Block. After his news conference on Tuesday, he spent about an hour handling other media obligations. He called future baseball Hall of Famer Albert Pujols one of his best friends. He often plays with Patrick Cantlay. He was paired Thursday with friend Min Woo Lee.
It was his first time playing at Colonial, Ben Hogan’s home course.
“The course fits my eye, lots of cuts off the tee,” Block said. “You’ve got to be pretty straight. And the greens are perfect. I’ve got some nice little ryegrass around the green. Honestly, it looks better to me than last week.”
The most encouraging part of last week wasn’t all the recognition and congratulations.
“It’s just that my golf game is good enough,” Block said, his voice cracking. “Yes, that my game can hang with these people.”
