A Chip Off the Old Block: Michael Block & His Son Take on Omni Barton Creek

Michael Block looks poised to join the field at the PGA Championship for a fourth time at Southern Hills Country Club in 2022. The Southern California PGA player has qualified for the Team of 20 a total of three times and won the PGA Professional Championship in 2014.

For Block, this tournament is an annual family affair as his son Dylan caddies for him. The first time Dylan caddied for dad in 2018 was certainly a special one. With a sharp eye and a long arm, son saved dad a couple shots and propelled him to play in the 100th PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Block’s hometown. Watch this quick recap and see how his son helped turn certain bogey into birdie!

Block, who is the Head Golf Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California is an excellent player. As a PGA Coach, he consistently works with his students on preparing for tournaments just like the PPC. One of the areas he loves to stress in player preparation is sharpening the short game. After all, Michael knows if he’s going to make a fourth trip to the PGA, he’ll need his own game around the green this week to excel.

Block opened the first round at the Omni Barton Creek Cliffside course with a 4 under par 66. Two bogeys and six birdies placed him in contention. Today, he started Round 2 with a bogey. Tested early, Block knew it was going to be one of those rounds. As a PGA Coach he knew that it was going to take some of his own advice to help him post a good score. A quick birdie on 12 and he was back to even for the day. Then on 14, Block found himself greenside with a delicate pitch.

The ball found the bottom of the cup and he was now back under par. His short game helped him jumpstart his second round. Fast forward to the Par 5 18th Hole (his 9th) and Block was just over the green in two shots. With another opportunity for his short game to get the job done, Michael chipped it in again and this time for eagle!

Like a well-read putt, he holed it from off the green and earned a sweet fist bump from his son. Yes, Dylan is still on the bag keeping an eye on dad as he contends this week not only for the Team of 20, but for the PPC title as well. Their family affair continues four years later and with a solid second round 69, the Blocks are just two off the lead and in position to head back to the PGA once again.

This is just one of the super stories surrounding the PPC players this week competing for a coveted spot in the Team of 20. Make sure you continue to watch the next two days on the Golf Channel (3:00 – 6:00 p.m. EDT) and follow along at PGAProChampionship.com. The pressure is surely going to intensify as we have a cut to the Top 70 after Tuesday and of course the Top 20 on Wednesday.