While the 2023 PGA Championship was won by Brooks Koepka, the tournament will be most fondly remembered for the heroics of one Michael Block.
The club pro, based in California, became an overnight sensation at Oak Hill after he upset the odds to record a remarkable T15 finish, including a final-round slam-dunk hole-in-one while playing with Rory McIlroy.
The lofty finish earned Block an automatic invite back to the 2024 tournament – set to be held at Valhalla – and the American will be joined by 20 of his fellow PGA professionals following the conclusion of the 2024 PGA Professional Championship.
While Wyoming club pro Ben Polland cruised to a three-shot victory to rubber-stamp his invite to the second men’s Major of the year, it was the achievements of Oklahoma-based professional, Tracy Phillips, that caught the eye.
The 61-year-old shot rounds of 72-70-75-75 to finish T8 and book his spot in the PGA Championship for the first time. Phillips was once an esteemed junior golfer and even won the 1980 Junior PGA Championship but ditched his professional ambitions in college after injuries and the yips derailed his career.
Despite becoming a PGA professional back home in Tulsa, Phillips said he did not play a round of golf – recreationally or in competition – for over 20 years before being persuaded to pick up the clubs again back in 2008.
In 2022, he finished T17 at the Senior PGA Championship and, after an impressive display at PGA Frisco, he will now have the opportunity to fulfil his childhood dreams of playing in a men’s Major championship.
Club pro Michael Block became an overnight celebrity at last year’s PGA Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“It’s exciting. I better get ready to take off a lot of head covers. I’m sure it’s going to be long and tough,” Phillips told Golf Oklahoma.
“The two 75s were pretty good scores considering the conditions. I drove it well and hit some key putts to keep my rounds going. I started to get a better feel on the greens during practice rounds this week and got some really good reads from my caddie.
Looking ahead to Valhalla, the 61-year-old said: “I’m sure I’ll meet some great people and it will be an incredible experience.”
The PGA Championship takes place at Valhalla between May 16-19.
The 20 Club professionals…
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