Michael Block beat the best players in the 2023 PGA Championship. Block sank an 8-foot par putt to finish a spectacular up-and-down from far left to the 18th green in the second round. As Michael's wife Val Block saw her husband sink a hole-in-one, she was overwhelmed with emotions.
The eyewitnesses say they saw her crying on the ground at the 15th hole. The 46-year-old earned an exemption in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Before this life-changing moment, Michael's earnings in golf were $75,000 only; meanwhile, he received $309,000 as he finished in 15th place and was in the spotlight even though Brooks Koepka won the tournament.
Block's hole-in-one in the PGA Championship stunned many, including the player himself. The golfer seemed delighted about the same.
Speaking about the hole-in-one, Michael Block said on CBS;
“I didn’t really see it, I knew it was at the pin, but I had no idea it went in. … Then Rory [McIlroy] comes over and gives me a hug. I’m like, ‘Why’s Rory giving me a hug?’
“I really walked down another 20-30 yards and I looked back and him and went, ‘Did that go in the hole?’ because everyone’s going crazy.”
Michael Block received a call from the director of the tournament who offered him the exemption. He said (nypost.com):
“I didn’t cry when I had my kids, If you love golf, you know. The one thing in the world that makes me cry is golf. That’s how much I love the game. It’s everything to me.’’
In the PGA Championship's 105-year history, no club pro has made it in the top ten but Block was almost close to it.
Michael Block's invite to the 2024 PGA Championship
Michael Block made the cut at the 2023 PGA Championship. He stayed on the edges of the competition throughout the weekend, along with his ace emphasizing the life-changing event. With this, the golfer gained an exemption on the competition this year.
He will be heading back to Valhalla this weekend for the 2024 PGA Championship.
Recently Block said (via golfdigest.com);
“It's been the best year of my life, and I wouldn’t change one thing about it. But it's very, very strange, To go from a nobody, a husband and father of two, then all of a sudden the golf’s world's watching every move I make, just the whole thing's been very odd.
Block will try to create history again at Valhalla, like last year, from May 16 to 19, 2024. He has gained a lot of support for his performance last year.
Notably, CBS will air a special documentary about Michael Block- "One Moment in Time: Michael Block's Miracle in May" on May 11 at 2:00 PM (ET). The documentary will convey last year's event Michael, how it happened, and changed his professional life.