Michael Block, still the people's choice after tough Colonial round

By Art Stricklin

?????????????FORT WORTH – The first round scorecard at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial may have shown an 11-over 81, but for the hundreds of fans who followed his each step on a sunny Thursday, Michael Block, aka America’s Pro, aka, Block Party is still the people’s champ.

?????????????Buoyed by homemade cardboard signs, Block Party t-shirts and enough points, waves and thumbs up by the featured player to even make Phil or Arnie blush, Block proved he had not lost his everyman touch in an tough day at the famed Colonial layout.

?????????????“Everyone who has ever played golf knows what happened today,” he said in very brief, emotional, post-round press conference. “Every tree was in the way, every putt didn’t want to go in, every chip or iron shot was off.”

?????????????After a thundering ovation on the first tee box, Block proceeded to bogey the first three holes and four of the first five, but chatted and gestured with the large gallery the entire time.

?????????????“It’s not really good right now,” he told the fans after he spoiled a perfect second hole drive by sending his second hole shot over the back of the green and leaving his three-shot short of the putting surface. He barely missed a chip-in the par and settled for another bogey.

?????????????The par 4 third hole, the first of Colonial famous Horrible Horseshoe, was a third-putt bogey, but he fired up the crowd as he walked to the par 3 4th hole.

?????????????“Let’s go, let’s go,” said Block, a teaching pro in Southern California who rocketed to international golfing fame last week at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill with a top 15 finish and a Sunday hole in one with Rory McIlvoy?????

“I just remember going to the PGA Championship in Bellerive (St. Louis) when I was a kid and watching players practice and watching them drop balls to kids and wave to people and that what I wanted to do out here,” Block said.

?????????????Finally, the fans got what they came for when he made his first birdie of the day on the fourth hole, hitting his tee shot to three feet of the pin and making the putt.

?????????????“Finally,” Block called out gesturing to the heaven with his hands spread out.

?????????????But other than a near eagle on the watery par 4 9th hole, there were very few highlights for Block as the PGA Championship magic from last week left as soon as it arrived. He finished the first-round in last place in the 120-person Colonial field.

?????????????“I’ve shot 58 and 59 in competition, so I’m going to come out tomorrow and give it my best, but either way I’m going to see my boys tomorrow night In Orange Country (California),” he added before breaking down in tears.

?????????????“He is a very genuine, down to earth, caring person, perhaps a bit overexposed,” said Colonial tournament director Michael Tothe.

?????????????He made the last second minute invite to play at Colonial late Sunday when Dallas’ Parker Coody withdrew when he got into a Korn-Ferry event, where he is trying to earn his full-time status for next year.

?????????????“I didn’t have an exemption to give until Parker withdrew and some of the (title sponsor) Charles Schwab guys said wouldn’t it be great if we could get him in the field,” said Tothe.

?????????????Once the invitation was made, it led to a full week of pre-tournament frenzy not seen here since Annika Sorenstam played at Colonial 20 years ago.

?????????????Block did interviews with outlets from CNN International to Access Hollywood and just about every other national and local sports programs.

?????????????He spent time in Fort Worth with Sorenstam, in town for her 20th anniversary, and the real Charles Schwab himself, who he met in the Colonial 19th hole, just two California natives who both love golf.

?????????????“It just media all the time, fans all the time and wild parties,” joked Tour veteran Joel Dahmen who meet up with Block on the practice putting green on Wednesday along with Rickie Fowler.

?????????????Barring a shocking second round low score to make 36-hole cut, Block said he would return to his club teaching job on California, happy for the memories and the experience his whirlwind two-week professional golf tour provided.

?????????????“It’s the greatest thing to happen in sports since the (1980) Miracle On Ice,” one fan said. “Who doesn’t want to be Block.”

?????????????Indeed, after a scenic stroll at Colonial on Thursday, who doesn’t indeed.