Michael Block finishes storybook week with miracle shot
Written by Site Hub on May 22, 2023
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — All week long, 46-year-old Michael Block said he had this type of performance in him. The type of performance that earned him a top-15 finish, a $288,333 payout, and an automatic spot in next year’s PGA Championship.
The only thing that surprised him this week? His hole-in-one on the 15th, a fitting way to cap off the week. Also surprising was how he found out his ball was in the hole.
“Rory [McIlory] is walking down the pathway 20 yards away from me and turns around and starts walking back towards me with his arms open to give me a hug. And he goes, you made it. I go, what? I’m like, seriously? He’s like, yeah, you did. He had to tell me five times that I made it,” said Block.
“So it was a pretty cool experience to have Rory be telling me that I made a hole-in-one in front of God knows how many people that were supporting me,” he said.
“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,” said McIlroy.
Golf is the only thing in Block’s life that can make him cry, a fact that made his wife very disappointed when he didn’t cry at the birth of his children. However, now she understands.
“Golf is my life. I live it, breathe it. I made sure of one thing in my life: That I was going to drive to a golf course every day, whether it was a caddy or an onsite service kid or an assistant pro or a head pro or general manager, I what was going to be as a golf course. I came to the golf course today at Oak Hill and played in the PGA Championship,” said Block.
“I love the fact that I sit in my backyard by my fire pit with my kids and my dog, and I always tell them this. I always say: Do you guys know that golf built this? Golf fed you tonight. Golf has the yard; golf supplied the home that I have in Orange County, California. Golf did this for you guys. I always tell this to my kids that golf did it, and golf just did a little bit more for me this week,” said Block.
He’s embraced the fact that he’s the everyman and loves how Rochester embraced him this week, saying he’s going to move here.
“I’m like the new John Daly, but I don’t have a mullet, and I’m not quite as big as him yet. I’m just a club professional; right? I work. I have fun. I have a couple of boys that I love to play golf with. I have a great wife. I have great friends. I live the normal life,” said Block. “I love being at home. I love sitting in my backyard. My best friend in the world is my dog. I can’t wait to see him. I miss him so much it’s ridiculous, my little black lab.”
The fairytale will continue for Block as he’s received a sponsor’s exemption to play in next week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
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