19th Hole
‘I’d be one of the best players in the world’ – Michael Block reveals the one trait of Rory McIlroy missing from his game
PGA Professional Michael Block has become the talk of the golf world after he finished T15 in last week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
The 46-year-old earned $280,000 for the week and was also given a surprise invitation to the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club and The RBC Canadian Open the week before the U.S. Open.
Block even received a text message from a childhood hero, Michael Jordan.
“I mean, getting a text from Michael Jordan today, that’s – I’m a big Jordan guy my whole life,” he said at his pre-tournament press conference at Colonial.
“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.”
Block is undoubtedly a Cinderella story, but that doesn’t mean he lacks serious talent. To finish T15 at such a grueling course in Oak Hill is a testament to how good reigning PGA of America Professional Player of the Year really is.
While on a podcast with Bob Menery, Block said he believes if he had Rory McIlroy’s distance off the tee, he’d be one of the best players in the world.
https://t.co/xBPEPFF3DC pic.twitter.com/wEXRR0ck71
— Bob Menery (@BobMenery) May 25, 2023
“He’s a lot longer than I am. That’s what it is. Oh my God. What I would shoot from where Rory hits it, would be stupid. I think I’d be one of the best players in the world. If I had that stupid length? All day. My iron game, wedge game, around the greens and my putting is world class.”
Block’s skill will once again be put to the test at the Charles Schwab Challenge this week. Colonial Country Club is a course that doesn’t require as much length as Oak Hill. It’s more of a plotter and shot makers course, so it should suit Block very well in theory.
He’s set to tee it up at 2:28 pm local time on Thursday alongside Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody.
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19th Hole
TaylorMade signs 15-year-old AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year to an NIL contract
This week, TaylorMade Golf announced that they’ve signed AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell, to an NIL contract.
In a statement, TaylorMade called Russell “nothing short of remarkable”.
“Miles’ record setting success at his young age is nothing short of remarkable and we are excited he chose us to support him in his growth as a golfer to continue to accomplish his career goals. Identifying and developing the top junior talent in the world has always been a priority for us at TaylorMade. Miles and his family epitomize the type of athlete and human being we are looking to add to Team TaylorMade.”
Russell has broken plenty of records in recent months. This season, he was named American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year, making him the youngest male player to receive the award. The record was previously held by Tiger Woods who was about 10 months older than Russell at the time he received the award.
At age 14, J he became the youngest player ever to win the Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass at age 14.
The 15-year-old also played in his first Korn Ferry Tour event on Thursday, the LECOM Suncoast Classic, and shot a first-round 68.
In the aftermath of the agreement, Russell released a statement.
“I have had a great relationship with the team at TaylorMade for years now and couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with them in the future. TaylorMade has a history of developing the top junior talent in the world to help reach their goals of becoming PGA TOUR and major championship winners. I am looking forward to working with the team to reach those and other goals I have laid out for my career.”
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Group of PGA Tour caddies sign endorsement deal with underwear company
In an interesting turn of events, a group of PGA Tour caddies have signed an endorsement deal with an underwear company.
Geno Bonnalie (Joel Dahmen), Aaron Flener (J.T. Poston), John Limanti (Akshay Bhatia) and Joel Stock (Will Zalatoris) and John Ellis (Wyndham Clark) have signed a deal with the underwear brand, SAXX.
Here are some details about the endorsement deal:
- The deal eclipses six figures in total value, extending what last year marked the first significant apparel agreement with a group of pro caddies. Of note, Geno and John Ellis appeared in the Netflix docuseries, Full Swing.
- The caddies will wear SAXX underwear, shorts and polos on and off the course.
- SAXX will donate $100 to the Testicular Cancer Foundation for every birdie made by the caddies’ players for the rest of the season.
- SAXX will bring the Ball Masters to the masses at the Travelers Championship, hosting a fan activation with underwear giveaways, photo opportunities, appearances from the Ball Masters and more.
- Fans can become an honorary Ball Master, which includes a year’s worth of underwear, among other things. Go to SAXX.com/ball-master-application from now until June 15 to enter.
The partnership is great for the caddies and also represents a great cause.
Check out the video they shared on YouTube:
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Man charged with stealing millions of dollars worth of memorabilia from Augusta National
According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man has been charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National.
The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.
The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”
The document was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Per the court records there is no mention that Globensky worked for the golf club.
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