26 May 2023 , 11:43
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Michael Block flopped on his first round after making bold statements about Rory McIlroy on the back of his eye-catching performance at the PGA Championship.
Block shot to fame last weekend when he finished 15th at the Major to bag $288,333 (£232,000) in prize money. The 46-year-old American club professional hit a spectacular hole-in-one at the 151-yard 15th while playing alongside McIlroy in the final round at Rochester to cap a memorable weekend.
His overnight success story saw him given a sponsor's exemption to play in the Charles Schwab Challenge in Colonial. But, after the high of the PGA Championship, Block was brought straight back down to earth at the PGA Tour event.
Block ended Thursday in last place out of 120 golfers after carding seven bogeys and three double bogeys to finish on an 11-over-par score of 81. His nightmare performance was exacerbated by eye-catching comments about McIlroy he made in the build-up to the competition.
Asked on the RipperMagoo podcast what the biggest difference between his game and McIlroy's, Block replied: "He's a lot longer than I am, that's what it is.”
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Host Bob Menery replied: "So the length is the big thing?" Block then expanded, adding: "Oh my God. What I would shoot from where Rory hits it would be stupid. I think I'd be one of the best players in the world.
Michael Block ended day one rock bottom of the standings (Aric Becker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)"Hands down. If I had that stupid length, all day. My iron game, wedge game, around the greens and my putting is world class.”
Some golf fans were not impressed with the American’s bravado, which they saw as disrespectful to McIlroy, who has won four majors in a long and successful career.
The Northern Irishman – a two-time winner of the PGA Championship – finished tied seventh last weekend and enjoyed playing alongside Block and was full of admiration for his hole-in-one.
Michael Block made eye-catching claims about Rory McIlroy (Getty Images)Block’s nightmare opening round on Thursday put him a whopping 19 shots behind early leader Harry Hall at the Charles Schwab Challenge. The Englishman shot an eight-under 62 to take the lead on day one as Block was left to reflect on a bad day at the office.
"It is what it is,” he said. "I'm going to live with it. I thought it was going to happen that third or fourth round last week at Oak Hill, and it never happened. It happened now, and I wasn't surprised by it, to tell you the truth.
"I'm looking forward to coming out [Friday], playing a great round and giving it everything I have. I've shot 58, and I've shot a 59 in my life – I wouldn't be surprised if I did it. If I do, cool. If not, I'll be seeing my kids and my wife. It's all good one way or the other."