Blades Brown: 17-yo Blades Brown creates history at the Korn Ferry Tour's Veritex Bank Championship

Blades Brown made history at the Korn Ferry Tour's Veritex Bank Championship on Thursday, April 24. The 17-year-old hit the lowest round by any player below 18 years of age on the Korn Ferry Tour as well as the PGA Tour.

Brown posted a stunning 10-under 61 score in the opening round of the Veritex Bank Championship. He recorded one eagle, nine birdies, and one bogey at the tournament.

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Blades Brown broke Si Woo Kim's 2013 record of the lowest round by a golfer below of 18 years of age. The latter had scored 65 in the first round of the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Championship. Kim was also 17-years-old at the time. Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, and Ty Tryon had also hit below 65 when they were below 18 years of age.

Brown naturally improved on his lowest round. His previous personal record was at the American Express earlier this year, when he hit 64. It was the lowest score put up by any player below 18 on the PGA Tour.

The Veritex Bank Championship was Brown's third start on the Korn Ferry Tour. He had previously played at the Club Car Championship where he finished T41 and at the LECOM Suncoast Classic last week where he placed T51.

Brown turned pro in December last year after being named the 2024 AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year. He has made four starts on the PGA Tour - at the Valspar Championship, Puerto Rico Open, American Express, and the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld. The young golfer was able to make the cut the latter. He had placed T34 with a score of 9-under.

How has Blades Brown performed in the Veritex Bank Championship so far?

After a stunning show in Round 1 of the Veritex Bank Championship, Blades Brown kept up the solid performance in Round 2 as well.

On Friday, April 25, Brown hit seven birdies and three bogeys to score 4-under 67. He is currently playing in Round 3 of the Veritex Bank Championship at the moment. The US golfer has carded one bogey through three holes at the time of writing. Currently, he is placed T25 with a total score of 13-under in the ongoing Round 3.

Brown will have to finish in the top 25 to qualify for the Tulum Championship next week. He will be looking to secure the Special Temporary Membership in the coming months that would enable him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions and shift to the Korn Ferry Tour points list for the future reshuffles.

He will be eligible to accept the Membership after turning 18, which he will in late May.

About the author

Ira Deokule is a dedicated sports journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Golf and other sports such as swimming, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and track and field. With a post-graduate degree in Media and Communication Studies from DMCS, SPPU, Pune, and a specialization in Video Production, she combines her academic background with practical experience as a national-level track and field athlete.

Ira's journalistic journey includes freelancing for FirstSportz during the Tokyo Olympics, where her articles gained significant recognition. She prioritizes accuracy and ethics, relying on verified sources and personal expertise to provide insightful, engaging content. Her unique perspective as an athlete enriches her understanding of sports dynamics, allowing her to write with neutrality and respect for her subjects.

Outside of journalism, Ira enjoys writing creative pieces, reading, dancing, and exploring filmmaking. She draws inspiration from trailblazing female golfers like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, whose achievements have elevated the visibility of women's golf. Ira aspires to cover iconic events like The Masters and is interested in the evolving landscape of golf, including the impact of LIV Golf.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl