Michael Block has faced the rigours of a sudden rise to fame more than most since his heroics at the 2023 PGA Championship.
12 months ago, the California club professional enjoyed the week of his life at Oak Hill in Rochester New York. While Brooks Koepka walked away with the Wannamaker Trophy, it was Block who stole the hearts of the crowd by making the cut and finishing in a tie for 15th place.
There were golden moments along the way, including a slam-dunk hole-in-one and a sensational up and down on the 72nd while while playing alongside Rory McIlroy to secure his place in next week's PGA Championship at Valhalla. Naturally, the Michael Block story created huge hype, receiving several sponsor's exemptions to play in PGA Tour events.
When Block struggled in those events, feeling weary from the sudden glare of attention, the online narrative rapidly changed. Block's status as the everyman's hero, for the vocal and bitter minority, was gone and he received untold social media criticism.
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But as he prepares to tee it up in Kentucky on Thursday, he will do so with a smile on his face. “I hope [the crowds] are all rooting for me and having a great time,” he told Bunkered.
“I’m going to give every single one of them a high five, I’ll take all the pictures and autographs in the world during the practice rounds, and I just hope to get the same camaraderie as I did with the Rochester fans. Golf is an up-and-down game, so I hope I’m firing on all cylinders, but if I’m not then that’s okay.”
Block admits he was left feeling the strain of fame, playing in tournaments big and small across the world. The 47-year-old, though, says he would not change a thing, experiencing things many can only dream of.
Michael Block produced an amazing hole-in-one to tie for 15th place and finish one over par at the PGA Championship (David Cannon/Getty Images)“I was over a shot at a pro-am in Cabot San Lucas. I hear somebody saying in my backswing ‘do you ever work?’ Next thing, I look behind me and Tiger Woods has a big smile on his face," Block said. "Then, that night I’m playing a charity pro-am under the lights on a par 3 and Jack Nicklaus comes over, grabs my putter and makes a 30-footer to win the pro-am.
“I’ve had a lot of dreams come true over the last year and I would do them all again. I was beat when I went and played Colonial, but there’s no way I would say no. Life is never going to be quite the same as it was and I’m a little worn out to tell the truth, but if I had to do it again, I’d do exactly the same.”
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