While Michael Block didn’t win the Wannamaker Trophy at this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York, he easily won American hearts and went back home with more than just a paycheck.

Image courtesy of CNN

While Michael Block’s road to the PGA Championship was not atypical, it certainly had a remarkable and unrivaled finish. Block is the PGA Head Golf Professional at his home course, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California. He has played in over 20 professional tour events and even made the cut in the 2015 Barbasol Championship.

So how did he get there?

One of the great and unique things about the PGA Championship is that it offers a spot to the top 20 finishers of the PGA Professional Championships. Michael Block shot an 8 under for the four day tournament finishing in a tie for second place. That second place finish landed him an invitation to the 2023 PGA Championship. But this wasn’t his first time competing in the PGA Championship. This was his 4th. He is clearly a solid player and incredibly consistent.

This is a hard game. It’s even harder to compete against players whose sole purpose is to play golf. Professional golfers breathe, eat, and sleep golf. They practice sometimes 8 hours a day, work out with golf specific physical therapists and trainers, swing coaches, putting coaches, elite technology, and the best equipment money can buy. To be able to compete on that level and secure an invitation to the 2024 PGA Championship with a top 15 finish was really an incredible thing to be able to witness. Congratulations to Michael Block for the performance of a liftime. It’s not something we willl soon forget. Enjoy this video of Michael Block promoting is home course, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Course in Mission Viejo, California 12 years ago, before anyone knew he was going to be a star!