The beers are on Blocky!
46-year-old club professional Michael Block from southern California carded an incredible grand slam hole-in-one, playing alongside Rory McIlroy.
Block, who had got into the US PGA Championship through the qualifiers, was in disbelief on Saturday evening when he learned he would be paired with McIlroy, a four-time major winner, for the final round.
Michael Block will be paired with Rory McIlroy in the final round of the PGA Championship tomorrow.
His reaction to finding out will make you smile 😊 pic.twitter.com/hjs6G8Nopj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 21, 2023
$125 for a lesson from Michael Block
Michael Block is PGA Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, in California, and usually charges $125 per lesson. He told Sky Sports about his coaching style:
“The old Arnold Palmer ‘swing your swing,’ is a huge thing for me.
“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.”
Block started his fourth and final round at level par but was +2 by the time he reached the 15th. Very much leaning on that ‘swing your swing’ philosophy, Block uncorked a lovely tee shot. The result was a euphoric grand slam hole-in-one.
As the Oak Hill galleries erupted, Block turned to Rory McIlroy and declared, “No way, no way! Rory, did it go in?”
Confirming that it sure did, McIlroy gave him a high five then an embrace. Block was back to level par and the crowd was electric.
MICHAEL. BLOCK. ACE. #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/YitD2QLDB7
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 21, 2023
Brooks Koepka wins as Michael Block holds nerve
” I mean, it was an amazing golf shot,” Rory McIlroy would later reflect on his playing partner’s hole-in-one.
“That hole has sort of given me fits all week. I haven’t really liked the look of it, and Michael stands up and hits this lovely little draw back into off the left wind, and you know, ball goes straight in the hole. It was I guess sort of when it’s your week, it’s your week in a way, and you know, I think with the way the week’s went for him, it was a fitting way to cap off his PGA Championship.”
Perhaps with adrenaline still coursing through his veins, Michael Block bogeyed the next hole but did do well to scramble back and par the 17th.
He still needed to par the 18th to automatically qualify for next year’s tournament. As for MciIroy, he finished -2 for another Top 10 major finish but another one that got away, too. Shane Lowry was level par while Padraig Harrington ended on +7.
McIlroy and Block had a heap of highlights but were the side-show to the race for the big prize. Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland both played well to pull clear of the chasing pack and sent up a thrilling finish.
Hovland hit the lip of a bunker on a 16th hole bunker and would eventually double bogey. On the same hole, Koepka birdied and it was game over. He is now a five-time major winner.
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