Michael Block acknowledges the followers on the 18th inexperienced after his closing spherical of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., on May 21.
PGA skilled Michael Block had a really profitable week on the PGA Championship, with a tie for fifteenth bringing him $288,333 — much more his ordinary lesson load for every week on the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., at $150 per hour.
He had the prospect so as to add much more to his bankroll and declined — however he does have a value.
Block mentioned throughout an interview session on the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, the location of this week’s PGA Tour Charles Schwab Challenge, that he was provided $30,000 for the 7-iron he used to make a hole-in-one at No. 15 on the Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.
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“I’ve had a pair completely different provides truly … it is loopy, proper?” he mentioned. “[My] preliminary response was it was $50,000 and I’d hand ship it. Kind of kiddingly, however I suppose probably not anymore.”
Block mentioned he nonetheless plans on utilizing the membership.
“It’s up within the air,” he mentioned. “For proper now it simply must hit photographs in there shut for me, and I’ll go from there.”
Aside from the joys of posting top-of-the-line finishes by a membership professional in PGA historical past, Block mentioned the subsequent greatest thrill he is gotten was a textual content from Michael Jordan.
“I’m an enormous Jordan man my complete life,” he mentioned. “I used to be a bit child in Iowa saving 100 bucks for a pair of Jordans again within the day. Pretty darn cool, to say the least.”
Block earned a sponsor invitation to Colonial. It would be the twenty sixth begin he is made in a Tour occasion, a mixture of invites and qualifying by means of PGA Section occasions.
He’s made the lower at 4 tournaments, the 2013 Genesis Invitational, the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open and Sanderson Farm Championship and the 2015 Barbasol Championship.
Chitwood to run ’26 Presidents Cup
Joie Chitwood is including one other golf cease to a sports activities administration resume that began with racing.
The PGA Tour introduced on Tuesday that Chitwood, who was the president and COO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and instrumental within the building of the Chicagoland Speedway, was named govt director of the 2026 Presidents Cup, which shall be on the Medinah Country Club outdoors Chicago.
Chitwood beforehand was the vp of company improvement for Arnold Palmer Enterprises. Among his duties in Orlando was event director of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Cup, a university group competitors that includes the highest U.S. and International gamers.
“I’m thrilled to be named govt director of the 2026 Presidents Cup and sit up for returning to Chicago to information what has change into a staple of prime world occasions in sports activities,” mentioned Chitwood in a press release. “This metropolis has an amazing ardour for golf as evidenced by the variety of championships hosted by means of the years, and Medinah Country Club has performed an unbelievable function in that historical past. We are going to interact the colourful Chicagoland enterprise neighborhood and its nice sports activities followers to ship an unforgettable week on the Presidents Cup.”
Chitwood began his profession with the Indy Racing League in Indianapolis. He was later a part of the manager management of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASCAR for a three way partnership to assemble and function the Chicagoland Speedway, a $135 million, 75,000-seat, racetrack facility on 900 acres in close by Joliet, Ill.As vp and common supervisor, Chitwood oversaw advertising and marketing, PR, sponsorships, ticketing, hospitality, operations, and legislative affairs for each the Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway, delivering a sold-out inaugural season.
Chitwood later returned to run the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the place he oversaw all enterprise features for the world’s largest sporting venue and elevated efficiency and income by means of reorganization and partnership improvement.
From 2009-19 he labored on the International Speedway Corporation in Daytona Beach, the place he finally grew to become the manager vp and COO. He was tasked with enhancing the nationwide efficiency of 13 motor racing amenities – together with the Daytona International Speedway.
“Joie has a implausible observe report of rising gross sales and partnerships throughout among the greatest arenas in sports activities, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Presidents Cup group,” mentioned Matt Rapp, the Tour’s senior vp of Championship Management. “His management expertise and data of the Chicago enterprise neighborhood shall be a serious asset for us main into 2026, and I do know he’s wanting to get began on what’s projected to be our greatest occasion ever.”
U.S. Open provides qualifiers
The United States Golf Association introduced that 33 gamers, together with main champions Jason Day and Patrick Reed, have earned full exemptions into the 2023 U.S. Open Championship June 15-18 at The Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course for ending among the many top-60 on the World Golf Rankings after final week’s PGA Championship.
Day, who will compete in his eleventh U.S. Open and is a two-time runner-up, received the 2015 PGA Championship. Reed, the 2018 Masters champion will play in his tenth Open.
Tyrrell Hatton, at 18th on the earth, is the highest-ranked participant within the present OWGR who was not beforehand exempt into the U.S. Open.
Cameron Davis moved up 19 spots from his earlier world rating to No. 49 by tying for fourth in final week’s PGA Championship and can compete in his first U.S. Open.
Matt Kuchar has certified for his twentieth U.S. Open.
The different gamers who earned full exemptions are Abraham Ancer, Wyndham Clark, Harris English and Keith Mitchell of St. Simons Island, Ga., Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox, Rickie Fowler, Russell Henley, Lucas Herbert, Si Woo Kim, Chris Kirk, Kurt Kitayama, Matt Kuchar, Adrian Meronk, Taylor Moore, Alex Noren, Mito Pereira, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters, Seamus Power and Adam Svensson.
Kuchar will compete within the U.S. Open for the twentieth time.
Eight different gamers earned exemptions based mostly on their performances in three further classes. The prime 5 gamers within the present PGA Tour FedExCup standings, who weren’t in any other case exempt, are Hayden Buckley, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Montgomery, Andrew Putnam and Nick Taylor. The prime two gamers from the 2022 DP World Tour Final Points List, who weren’t in any other case exempt, are Thirston Lawrence and Jordan Smith. Min Woo Lee is the highest-ranked participant on the present Race to Dubai Rankings who will not be in any other case exempt.
PGA TOUR
Event: Charles Schwab Challenge, Thursday-Sunday, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas.
At stake: $8.7 million purse ($1,566,000 and 500 FedEx Cup factors to the winner).
Defending champion: Sam Burns.
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m.); CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).Area gamers entered: Tyson Alexander, Harris English, Brian Harman, Billy Horschel, Zach Johnson, Patton Kizzire, Russell Knox, David Lingmerth, J.T. Poston, Sam Ryder, Greyston Sigg.
Notable: Burns shot 65 within the closing spherical to tie Scottie Scheffler, then drained a 38-foot birdie putt off the perimeter on the primary playoff gap to win. … Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler and Tommy Fleetwood be part of Scheffler to guide the sphere. … Scheffler regained No. 1 on the world golf rankings by tying for second within the PGA final week. … The solely different top-10 participant on the earth within the discipline is Max Homa.
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Event: LIV Golf-DC, Friday-Sunday, Trump National, Sterling, Va.
At stake: $20 million purse ($4 million to the winner).
Defending champion: First-time occasion.
TV: CW (Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m.).
Area gamers entered: Cameron Smith.
Notable: LIV member Brooks Koepka is coming off his PGA victory, his fifth main title. He additionally tied for second within the Masters. … After 18 LIV gamers had been eligible for the Masters and 17 for the PGA, 12 shall be in subsequent month’s U.S. Open. … This is the ultimate LIV occasion for a month earlier than taking part in in Spain and England in July.
LPGA TOUR
Event: Bank of Hope Match Play, Wednesday-Sunday, Shadow Creek Golf Club, Las Vegas.
At stake: $1.5 million purse ($225,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Eun-Hee Ji.
TV: Golf Channel (Wednesday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 7-10 p.m.; Friday, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 6:30-9:30 p.m.).
Area gamers entered: None.
Notable: Ji defeated Ayaka Furue of Japan 3 and a pair of within the championship match. … The first three days shall be pool competitors, attending to a closing 16 for single-elimination on the weekend. … Only two of the top-10 on the earth are within the discipline, Lilia Vu and Brooke Henderson.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Event: Senior PGA Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas.
At stake: $3.5 million purse ($630,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Steven Alker.
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 3-4 p.m.); NBC (Saturday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4-6 p.m.).
Area gamers entered: Paul Claxton, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III, Vijay Singh.
Notable: Alker shot 64 within the first spherical and 63 within the fourth at Harbor Shores in Michigan to complete 16-under and beat Stephen Ames by three photographs.
KORN FERRY TOUR
Event: Visit Knoxville Open, Thursday-Sunday, Holston Hills Country Club, Knoxville, Tenn.
At stake: $1 million purse ($180,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Anders Albertson.
TV: None.
Area gamers entered: A.J. Crouch, Taylor Dickson, Jared Wolfe.
Notable: Albertson opened with a 62 after which shot 65-66 on the weekend to edge Carl Yuan of Jacksonville by one shot.
This article initially appeared on Florida Times-Union: Michael Block’s fortunate 7-iron in excessive demand — however he is protecting it
