“I haven’t gotten used to the pressure” - Michael Block opens up on dealing with fame, pressure, and the unusual allure of ‘sausage rolls’

Michael Block recently stated that he hasn't gotten used to handling the pressure of everyone following him and keeping an eye on his game since he burst onto the scene.

Block is currently in Sydney for the Australian Open, which is set to take place from Thursday, November 30 to Sunday, December 3. The Nevada-born pro shot to fame when he surprised everyone by finishing joint 15th at the PGA Championship this year and bagged $288,000, the biggest paycheck of his career. He also shot an ace in the final round while teeing up with Rory McIlroy.

Speaking ahead of the Australian Open, Block said it was a no-brainer for him to accept the invite as he had never been to Australia. He was quoted as saying, via Golf Australia:

"In the last six months, I’ve been to Europe, Qatar, now Australia. I’m very lucky. I'm a huge fan of golf, I love playing golf with the best players in the world. And here we are and I’m glad to be here at the Australian Open. I'm very fortunate and I’m going to do my best."

Block added that the pressure to perform has been more than ever since his PGA Championship heroics. He added that while he has become comfortable with giving interviews, he is still not used to being under constant scrutiny to perform. He said:

"I haven’t gotten used to the pressure of the golf world watching, and seeing how I’m doing. I’ve got a lot of fans and I’ve got some people who don’t wish me the best! It is what it is. I’m trying to learn that."

The head golf pro at Arroyo Trabuco GC added that he was trying not to let all of this get to his head while playing. He also shared his plans to explore Sydney this week. He added:

"I need to see some roos, for sure. I had a beer or two at the Opera House yesterday, there was a rainbow over the Harbour Bridge, it was a very special moment. And I’m staying downtown which is cool. And I need to have a sausage roll or something like that."

The Australian Open will feature many prominent players including top stars from Australia. Besides Block, the field features the likes of Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Min Woo Lee, and defending champion Adrian Meronk. Last year, Meronk defeated Scott by five strokes to claim his second win on the DP World Tour.

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Where did Michael Block play last time?

The 47-year-old golfer last appeared in the World Wide Technology Championship last month where he failed to make the cut after shooting 72 and 76 in the first two rounds.

Barring his surprise performance at Oak Hill, Block hasn't been able to impress this season. He failed to make the cut in the five other PGA Tour events he featured at this season. He will be hoping to finish the year on a higher note at the Australian Open.