Imagine a young golfer shaking up the world of professional sports! In an impressive display of talent, a teenager has taken The American Express tournament by storm during his second round.
Bobby Jones famously described golf as "assuredly a mystifying game," and moments like these only enhance that sentiment. Just on Friday, at the young age of 18, golfer Blades Brown made headlines by rocketing up the leaderboard to finish the second round tied for the lead with none other than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. This remarkable achievement unfolded in La Quinta, California, where Brown showcased his skills in just his tenth career appearance on the PGA Tour.
Blades Brown put on an extraordinary performance, shooting a stunning 12-under 60, which set a record for the Nicklaus Tournament course at PGA West. He was tantalizingly close to becoming part of history by posting only the 15th sub-60 round in the PGA Tour's storied existence. Alas, a missed eight-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole dashed his hopes for that additional milestone.
After the round, Brown expressed his excitement to the Golf Channel, saying, "I love playing PGA Tour events. Every single time I get to compete on this stage, it’s a blessing. I love to compete." While he acknowledged missing the putt on hole No. 9, he remained optimistic, adding, "It’s the lowest round on the PGA Tour for me, and lots and lots of positives."
It's been nearly a year since Brown made the bold decision to forgo college and pursue a career in professional golf. Last year, he earned his place on the Korn Ferry Tour and has been actively competing ever since, including taking part in the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic earlier this week. Remarkably, just a day before The American Express kicked off, he finished tied for 17th at The Abaco Club before quickly heading to Coachella Valley for the tournament, participating thanks to a sponsor exemption.
In a quirky twist, Brown revealed that he used a private jet coupon he won two years ago at Myrtle Beach to make the six-hour trek. He shared, "Finished the round. Had to quickly take a shower and then drove to the airport. It was my second time ever flying private. It was beautiful. Then, yeah, arrived here around 8:00 p.m. last night. Got some Panda Express. Got some groceries. Slept, started sleeping at 10:00. Then woke up at around 5:00, got here a little early to make a couple putts."
Despite achieving a bogey-free score of 64, Scheffler, who is known for his impressive performances, admitted he didn't meet his own expectations. As he heads into the weekend alongside Brown, the competition is sure to heat up. Brown expressed his admiration for Scheffler, stating, "Scottie is an unbelievable player, and having my name next to his name on the leaderboard means a lot. We’re only halfway there, and there’s a lot of golf to go, so I’m just going to focus on executing the shots I can and see what happens."
Hailing from Tennessee, Brown is set to tee off on Saturday at 11:52 a.m. ET alongside David Ford, marking his seventh consecutive round of golf in just as many days. If he plays in Sunday’s final round, he will become the first player, at least in modern history, to participate in eight competitive rounds across both the PGA and Korn Ferry tours within eight days, according to the Golf Channel.
When asked about how he plans to unwind amidst all this golfing action, Brown humorously replied, "I’m going to go take a nap after this, and probably get some food."
This young athlete's journey is just beginning, and as he continues to defy expectations, one can't help but wonder: what more can we expect from Blades Brown? Share your thoughts below – do you think he has what it takes to become a golf legend?
