Michael Block Claims He'd Be One Of The Best Players In The World If He Hit It As Long As Rory McIlroy, Which Is Certainly Something
Michael Block is rightfully flying high after putting on a four-day show at the PGA Championship last week, but he's flying a bit too close to the sun with his latest take involving Rory McIlroy.
Block, a PGA club pro in California, stole the show at Oak Hill last week while finishing T-15 and earning an exemption into next year's PGA Championship. His week included a live interview with Scott Van Pelt and ESPN during the first round, playing alongside Justin Rose on Saturday, and then teeing it up with McIlroy on Sunday and making a hole-in-one on the Par 3 15th.
The man had himself a week, to put it very mildly, and is oozing confidence ahead of this weeks' Charles Schwab Challenge, which he was given a sponsor's exemption to play in.
Block has been making media appearances from the moment he finished his final round on Sunday at Oak Hill, and while he's been genuine every second along the way, he jumped the shark during his appearance on the 'Ripper Magoo' podcast with Bob Menery.
The soon-to-be 47-year-old claims that he'd be "one of the best players in the world" if he hit it as far as McIlroy does.
"What I would shoot from where Rory hits it would be stupid," Block explained. "I think I'd be one of the best players in the world. Hands down. If I had that stupid length — all day. My iron game, wedge game around the green and my putting is world-class."
Every athlete who has ever been successful has possessed extreme self-confidence, and if you have any doubt in yourself as a golfer then you are certifiably doomed, but this is a little much from Mr. Block.
If he would have said that he would be a successful PGA Tour player who put together a strong decade-long career and kept his Tour card if he hit it as long as McIlroy, then fine, but "one of the best players in the world" is...a lot.
In his defense, maybe that's what Block meant when he said "best players in the world" seeing as how a player who puts together a successful 10-year run on Tour is undeniably one of the best players on the planet.
Block doesn't deserve any hate for being confident in his ability and being authentic, but at the end of the day the feel-good story is going to come to an end, and he's not doing himself any favors by making claims like this.
Follow Mark Harris on Twitter @ItIsMarkHarris