Blades Brown continued the trend of young amateurs stunning in professional tournaments with his performance at the Myrtle Beach Classic this past weekend. Not only did Brown make the cut after shooting a 4 under second round 67, but he shot a bogey-free 66 the next day which swiftly tied him in 25th. He capped off the event with a final round score of 69, earning him a tie for 26th.
When asked if he had any expectations going into the weekend after his round on Friday, Brown humbly said, “Probably not… Yes, it would be nice to shoot another five-under or six-under tomorrow. It could happen. But I’m 16 playing in a PGA Tour event, so I’m just stoked to be here.” (via Golf.com)
The high school sophomore had another reason to be happy at Myrtle Beach; his father, who had been diagnosed with leukemia a year and a half ago, was there to cheer him on with the rest of the family. Parke Brown had been given a year left to live with his cancer diagnosis. That year has come and gone, and he is still able to watch his son break and set new records. “A year and a half ago, I had a year left to live,” Park tearfully told reporters in Myrtle Beach. “I’d been diagnosed with leukemia and we’ve been through a lot as a family. … The Lord gave me some more time. Special.” (via Mirror)
Brown received plenty of attention from fans and media alike, but he remained modest. His goal for the week was to treat every person who came up to him asking for an autograph just as Jordan Spieth had treated him when they met at a practice round at the 2018 Masters. Brown recalls how Spieth had talked to him as an equal, bent down to his level, asked his name, and made him feel like they were friends. “For him, that was just saying hi to a little kid, but to me, for a person of his caliber and his decoration, it meant the world.” (via Golf.com)
For Blades Brown, there is a bright future on the PGA TOUR ahead of him. He nearly looks like a professional now instead of someone making their debut. It won’t be long before Brown and all the other wunderkinds his age are playing full time in the big leagues. And Blades can look forward to his father being there to support him, every step of the way.
Photo Credit: Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Get your personalized plan with Membership Exclusive Features
JGH offers a subscription package for users seeking a personalized experience. This includes creating a custom college list, matching with programs and coaches, managing tournament schedules, and accessing contact information for every college coach in the country. Click here to learn more.