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Michael Block Struggled Significantly in First Round of Charles Schwab Challenge

The PGA Championship’s Cinderella story couldn't summon his Oak Hill magic Thursday at Colonial.
Gabrielle Herzig|
Michael Block Struggled Significantly in First Round of Charles Schwab Challenge
Michael Block Struggled Significantly in First Round of Charles Schwab Challenge

Michael Block placed T15 and became the feel-good story at last week’s PGA Championship while shooting three consecutive rounds of 70 and a final-round 71. But on Day 1 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, the magic from Oak Hill simply wasn't there.

The 46-year-old club pro—who received a spot in the Charles Schwab field via sponsor exemption—struggled out of the gates, making three straight bogeys on his opening holes. At the 2nd, Block skulled an iron 42 yards over the green and did well to save bogey. 

Smylie Kaufman, the on-course commentator following Block’s group, noted early in the broadcast that the club pro had participated in 30 media interviews ahead of his first round at Colonial—a number that some PGA Tour players might not reach over the course of an entire season. 

Block flashed his Oak Hill form on the 246-yard par-3 4th, where he almost made another ace, this time with a 5 wood. Block’s tee shot wound up just 4 feet from the hole, and he made his first birdie of the day. 

Making the turn in 2 over par with one more birdie and a bogey, things looked to be on the up for the Arroyo Trabuco GC head professional, but his game again took a sharp turn on the back nine. 

On the par-4 10th, Block’s tee shot found the penalty area, but it was no ordinary section of the hazard: his ball came to rest in the middle of a concrete bridge, and he wasn't able to receive a free drop because of its location. Instead, Block decided to play his ball as it lay. 

Block saved par from the tough position, but he wouldn’t have many more hero shots left for the rest of the round. 

Block finished with three double bogeys in his final four holes to post a back-nine 44. 

Last week in Rochester, Block made just 13 bogeys or worse in 72 holes of major championship golf. 

On Thursday, he had 10 bogeys or worse in one round at Colonial. 

Block’s 11-over 81 left him in last place after Round 1. He's 19 shots behind the first round leader, Harry Hall. 

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Gabrielle Herzig
GABRIELLE HERZIG

Gabrielle Herzig is a Breaking and Trending News writer for Sports Illustrated Golf. Previously, she worked as a Golf Digest Contributing Editor, an NBC Sports Digital Editorial Intern, and a Production Runner for FOX Sports at the site of the 2018 U.S. Open. Gabrielle graduated as a Politics Major from Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she was a four-year member and senior-year captain of the Pomona-Pitzer women’s golf team. In her junior year, Gabrielle studied abroad in Scotland for three months, where she explored the Home of Golf by joining the Edinburgh University Golf Club.

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