ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Why Not?
Those are words by which Michael Block lives his life.
Those words are stamped on the golf balls Block has been hitting this week during the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, as one of the 20 club professionals in the field and the only one of them to make the cut on Friday.
“A long time ago, I questioned myself over every shot — like most people do,’’ Block, a 46-year-old club pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., said Friday after shooting a second consecutive 70 to stand at even-par for the tournament, tied for 10th place.
“I was standing over a 22-foot putt in 2007 at Bear Creek in Murrieta, California, in a playoff to get into the U.S. Open at Oakmont, and my caddie whispers over my ear and says, ‘If you make this, we’re in the Open.’
“Out loud while I was over the golf ball, I said, ‘Why not?’ Then I proceeded to drain it and made it into the U.S. Open at Oakmont, which is my first [major] event I ever played in.’’
This week is Block’s seventh career major championship. Entering the week, he had qualified for two U.S. Opens and four PGA Championships and never had made a cut.
Until Friday.
Now Block is so buoyed by his first two rounds that he’s thinking about winning the damned thing.
“I feel like I’ve got the game this week to compete, to tell you the truth,’’ he said.
Asked what the difference has been this week in making the cut after missing it the previous four PGA tries while going a combined 38-over par, Block said: “I’m extremely comfortable. A couple of my friends in Orange County are [PGA Tour pros] Beau Hossler and Patrick Cantlay [ranked No. 4 in the world] and I’ve played a lot of golf with them.
“I understand where they’re ranked in the world. I understand how my game doesn’t quite get up to them, but I’m pretty darn close, and I can compete with them. Why not come here and compete? I’m not afraid of them anymore.’’
Asked what his “ultimate why not?’’ is now as he recalibrates his goals, Block didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“To win,’’ he said. “As weird as it sounds, I’m going to compete. I promise you that.’’
This from a guy who revealed that he had return flights to California booked for Saturday morning. Those flights, of course, were changed.
“Nothing can go wrong from this point forward for me,’’ Block said. “For a lot of guys on the weekend, the hole starts to look smaller. I made the cut, my game’s good and the hole’s going to look big for me.’’
Block was having a Ferris Bueller-like week, with everything going his way, until he reached a pressure-point moment in his round Friday.
He got to 3-under and was in second place, one shot behind Bryson DeChambeau, when he took bogey on the par-5 fourth hole (his 13th of the round) with a 60-degree wedge from the fairway. He followed that by shanking his 8-iron on the par-3 fifth hole and taking double bogey.
If you’re a golfer and you’ve been stricken with the shanks, you understand the terror that comes with that. Now imagine getting the shanks in a major championship.
“In my head, I’m going, ‘You have got to be kidding me right now,’ ’’ Block said. “I’ve been flushing it all day. The last couple days, the driving range has been like a video game. It came out of nowhere.’’
After his struggle on No. 5, Block locked eyes with his wife, Val, who was outside the ropes, and said, “Don’t worry, babe, I got this.’’
He did.
“Nothing was discussed,’’ Block’s caddie, John Jackson, said of the shank. “We literally went straight to the next shot. Just keep him in the moment.’’
Block proceeded to par Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9, four of the toughest holes on the course, to preserve his even-par finish.
After his round, when he was asked what he wants golf fans seeing him for the first time to know about him, Block said, “That I’m one of them. I’m just your local club pro.’’
When this magical week is complete, Block has a full day of lessons scheduled back at his club for Monday, the day after the final round of the PGA he’s trying to win. His next big golf event is a June 5 sectional qualifier for a spot in the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, with his 18-year son Dylan also in the field.
“I hope he beats me to go to the U.S. Open,’’ Block said. “That would be cool.’’
For Block, it’s the only thing that could top this week.
