PGA Championship hero Michael Block falls just short of bid to qualify for U.S. Open
Michael Block has secured a spot in next year’s PGA Championship but narrowly missed out on qualifying for the upcoming U.S. Open. In a U.S. Open qualifier held at Toronto’s Lambton Golf & Country Club, Block shot a score of 135 over 36 holes, finishing 5-under par. However, Michael Block fell two shots short of the qualifying mark for this month’s U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club.
The top three scores from the 27-player field earned a spot in the U.S. Open, with Ryan Gerard from Florida (129), Vincent Norrman from Sweden (132), and Ryan Armour from Ohio (133) claiming those positions.
Block’s 18-year-old son, Dylan, also participated in a separate U.S. Open qualifier at the Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles but finished well behind the leaders. Originally, Block planned to play at Hillcrest alongside his son but opted to compete in Toronto after receiving a sponsor’s exemption into the RBC Canadian Open, which begins on Thursday.
The Toronto qualifier was the last of 13 U.S. Open qualifying tournaments, including ten held across various locations in the United States. With no further opportunities to make the field, the tournament will commence on June 15.
Michael Block: Impressive Performance at the PGA Championship
Block, a 46-year-old club professional from the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California, gained attention with his impressive T15 finish at last month’s PGA Championship. Notably, he made a hole-in-one on the Par 3 15th during the final round. Block captivated the crowds at Oak Hill Country Club with an opening-round 70 that put him on the leaderboard.
His 1-over score for the week secured a top-15 finish and a significant payday of $288,333, surpassing his previous career-high earnings of $75,000. Additionally, his strong performance guaranteed him a spot in the 2024 PGA Championship. The top 15 finishers at the PGA Championship automatically qualify for the following year’s tournament at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
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