Who is Michael Block? The new PGA Tour fan favourite
Michael Block couldn’t believe his ears when he heard his playing partner for the final round at the PGA Championship was Rory McIlroy.
If you’d told the 46-year-old he would be in contention for major glory come Sunday afternoon at Oak Hill prior to the event, his ears would have ignored that too.
With three rounds of 70 and a 71, Block impressively finished in the top 15 and made a stunning hole-in-one on the par 3 15th hole in the final round.
Block was one of 20 PGA professionals to qualify for the feature event in May via the PGA Professional Championship, where he was tied for second.
He grew up in St. Louis and played college golf for Mississippi State. After transferring to the University of Missouri, he became an assistant pro and then the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California, where he still works.
Arroyo Trabuco was designed by former Open champion Tom Lehman and Casey O’Callaghan. Block charges $125 per lesson and $500 if you want a nine-hole playing lesson from a golfer who is now a major-contending tutor.
Throughout the PGA Tour season, a handful of players have taken part in walk-and-talk features with the US broadcasters, and they chose the perfect man for a chat with Block during Thursday’s first round.
“The old Arnold Palmer, ‘Swing your swing,’ is a huge thing for me,” he revealed. “I don’t teach one way. I teach what that person has the capability of doing and learning, and that’s been a huge benefit of teaching for the last 25 years for me.
“I’m not trying to teach anybody Tiger’s or Rory’s swing, because that’s just not going to happen. So you’ve got to be realistic with what you’ve got. That’s a big thing. I try to be honest with my guys.
“The first couple years, you’re out there and you’re winging it. And telling everybody the same thing. Once you get confident in your teaching and your playing, it just gets better.”
He had only made four cuts in his 24 previous PGA Tour starts, and had never made the weekend in his six major appearances.
The access for PGA professionals is one of many reasons why the PGA Championship is so special.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
