Michael Block continued his love affair with PGA Championship venues as he shot a nine-under-par 63 to tie the course record at Valhalla.
The American PGA professional, who shocked the golfing world when he finished T15 at the 2023 PGA Championship, was visiting the venue which is set to host the 2024 edition of the tournament.
The course record was set by the legendary Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal in 2000 but Block equalled that with a bogey-free round which featured seven birdies and one eagle.
"Feeling ready. Now I wish today was an actual round…#imagineifihaddistance," Block said on social media after the round, joking about his controversial comments where he compared his game to Rory McIlroy's.
The 47-year-old automatically qualified for a spot in the 2024 field with his top-15 finish at Oak Hill. Having shot three consecutive rounds of 70, he holed a miraculous up and down on the 72nd hole to remain at T15 having made a slam dunk hole-in-one playing alongside Rory McIlroy earlier in the final round.
Clearly, his preparations for next year's tournament are going well. After opening with two birdies in his first four holes, Block - playing off the 7,675-yard tournament tees - then made eagle on the 600-yard par-five seventh.
Birdies at nine and ten were followed by three more coming in, including at 17 and 18 as he registered his record-equalling found of 63.
The Jack Nicklaus course is located in Louisville, Kentucky and has hosted the PGA Championship on three prior occasions - 1996, 2000, and 2014. It also hosted the 2008 Ryder Cup.
-
Nelly Korda Claims LPGA Awards Double After Seven-Win SeasonNelly Korda was handed the two top prizes at the LPGA Awards after a seven-win season including her second Major
-
Simon Holmes Facts: 15 Things To Know About The Famous Coach And Sky Sports Golf PresenterThe renowned coach and Sky Sports Golf analyst has worked with some of the game’s best-ever players
-
Bryson DeChambeau Ninth Favorite At Pinehurst As PGA Champion Xander Schauffele Trails Rory McIlroy In Early US Open OddsThe bookmakers have released their odds for the next men's Major championship - the US Open - and there are a few eyebrow-raising situations at hand
-
Surprising Pro Surges To Second Behind Rory McIlroy In Most Popular PGA Championship Bets 2024Despite having not yet won a Major, one name has moved past multiple champions like Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in terms of total bet share for the PGA Championship
-
World Wide Technology Championship Purse, Prize Money And Field 2023PGA Championship hero Michael Block appears as the tournament heads to a new venue
-
Odyssey Golf And YouTube Stars Good Good Collaborate With New PuttersThe YouTube group signed a deal with Callaway at the start of 2023 and will release their second limited-edition product together
-
Seven-Handicap YouTube Star Defies Odds To Complete Hole-In-One ChallengeYouTube star and CEO of gaming organisation 100 Thieves 'Nadeshot' achieved the feat in little over an hour having rented out a course to put his skills to the test
-
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Purse, Prize Money And Field 2023Ewen Ferguson defends his title as the DP World Tour heads to the Middle East at Doha Golf Club
-
Fans Forced To Leave DP World Tour Event Due To High WindsHigh winds caused some of the Andalucia Masters' first round to be played behind closed doors due to fears over fan safety
-
Top Amateur Follows Ludvig Aberg's Footsteps And Secures PGA Tour Card In CollegeGordon Sargent is the first player to earn his Tour card through the new PGA TOUR University Accelerated system
