Who Is Michael Block? The PGA Pro Making Waves Is Just Another Guy Working Out The Kinks

Michael Block has been one name spectators, and watchers of the 105th PGA Championship have been hearing a lot of this weekend. The PGA Pro from Southern California finished well above the cut line of +5 and outlasted some notable players like Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, and Cameron Young, among others.

The 46-year-old starts his work day at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club at 8 in the morning, instructing students, answering phone calls, and maybe hitting the course with his sons before heading home. But Monday, he will return to work with a new sense of accomplishment, whether he wins or not.

“My life feels like it’s changed a little bit.”

Michael Block goes mic’d up on his way to a birdie at the 14th 🔊pic.twitter.com/VdEuKE6AVT

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 20, 2023

For all of us, it might be a big surprise. For Block, not so much (via Yahoo! Sports):

“I feel like I’ve got the game this week to compete, to tell you the truth. I’ve made the cut, which is obviously a huge goal. I feel like I could shoot even par out here every day. I feel like at the end of the four days that that might be a pretty good result.”

Only four PGA professionals have ever been in the Top 40 after two rounds at the PGA Championship. Nobody has ever finished higher than a tie for 13th.

Block currently sits in 9th.

It is far from Block’s first go-around on Tour, and he is no stranger to the PGA Championship or other majors. In 2007, he sunk a birdie putt on the final playoff hole to reach the U.S. Open.

“I don’t know why that makes me emotional but it does.”

Michael Block was brought to tears when he was told he is out in front of Masters champion Jon Rahm.

On a trying Oak Hill course, he shot 70-70 and will make the cut @PGAChampionship. pic.twitter.com/FbDV0GHEVd

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2023

He made it, and it was just one of the numerous professional tournaments he’s played in. Block has played on the PGA Tour 24 times since 2007. Being successful enough to even appear on Tour requires more than a solid game, it requires confidence, and Block didn’t always feel that he belonged there. Now, it’s a different ball game.

That confidence may have come from his friendly rounds with Patrick Cantlay and Beau Hossler, two PGA Tour standouts who are close friends with Block. Hossler won’t even give Block a one-stroke handicap when they play at times.

He said about his friendly rounds with Cantlay and Hossler:

“I understand how my game doesn’t quite get up to them, but I’m pretty darn close. I can compete with them.”

He can evidently compete with a lot of other names as well. This week has more than proven that.

He has continued to be grateful for his experience this weekend and perhaps encapsulated it best during his interview on Saturday with the CBS broadcasting team:

“To say the least, I’m living the dream.”

Cover Image Via Twitter