Michael Block may be heading home early after missing another round on the PGA Tour, but he’s also sneakily scored the lowest round in his improbable triple championship in the past four weeks.
After opening with a score of 77 at the RBC Canadian Open, Block rebounded with a three-under 69 on Friday, better than any rounds during his magical T15 finish at the PGA Championship three weeks earlier.
But it should come as no surprise to anyone that Block can take it deep even among the best players in the world. Not only is he the 2022 PGA Professional Player of the Year and a 10-time PGA Southern California Player of the Year, but this week he’s starting his 27th PGA tour now, including seven majors. Earlier this year, The American Express opened with 65.
The 46-year-old has a good reason why he can fit in with the best players in the world: he does so regularly.
Block told Subpar co-hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz on this week’s episode how he met fellow Southern Californian Patrick Cantlay at the popular pro-scratch event at Plantation Golf Club in Indio.
“We had a match there and I think he beat me five ways up front,” Block said of the eight-time PGA Tour winner. And I got him five ways in the back in the first round. And then, he said, “Well, this club pro can hang around a little bit.”
A first impression led to more invitations, Block said, but there weren’t many wins for the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club.
“I started getting phone calls, you know, taking out toys and things like that,” Block said. “I’ve been lucky enough to get him here and there now and then but he definitely got me a lot healthier than I got and he wasn’t even close. He’s a stud golfer and the guy you don’t miss, you know. But he’s a great guy for me to play against. And so when I play against knowing that he is the number 4 player in the world, it gives me more confidence.”
For more information from Block, including a deep dive into his PGA Championship experience, check out the full Subpar episode below.