Given the events of the last few months between LIV Golf and the PGA TOUR, even I find myself stunned that I decided to write about actual golf and not legal filings. Yet, after the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, that is all I or any other golf fan should care about.

What an amazing display of exactly what makes golf the greatest individual sport in the world. Sure, the Olympics showcase phenomenal individual athletic achievement, but these two tournaments… I mean come on… really???

Let’s start with the PGA Championship. Oak Hill Country Club, in Rochester, New York, is one of the most iconic and traditional clubs. It perfectly personifies this championship. Founded in 1901, this venue has hosted 12 Majors and the 1995 Ryder Cup (ok… so that one didn’t work out so well for the U.S.). If you were looking to put your stamp on tradition, this was it.

Add to that, the story of Michael Block; a PGA Professional that not only makes the cut, but actually contends on Sunday.

For context, the PGA Championship is owned and operated by the PGA of America not the PGA TOUR. As confusing as it sounds, it is really very simple, they are two completely separate organizations. The PGA of America is an organization made up of 28,000 Members and Associates that work in the business of golf. They take your tee times, teach your kids and make sure your leagues run smoothly every week. Conversely, the PGA TOUR is comprised of “professional golfers” not “Golf Professionals.” That organization is made up of the best players is the world.

The top qualifiers from the PGA Professional Championship get to test their games against the top players in the world at the PGA Championship. Normally, those Golf Professionals get two days in the spotlight but never really contend. 

In fairness, Michael Block did not post the best finish ever in this event by a PGA Professional. He did finish tied 15^th, which earned him not only a few PGA TOUR exemptions but an encore appearance in the 2024 PGA Championship. The best ever was a tie for 11^th by both Lonnie Nielson in 1986 and Tommy Aycock in 1974. And for the record, my former boss Jay Overton finished in a tie for 17^th at the 1998 PGA Championship.

What Michael Block did do was capture the imagination of the entire golf world. His “awe shucks” attitude was not an image. It is who he is. His understandable “if I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me up” appearance resonated with everyone that has ever picked up a putter and he did it all in the age of social media where superstar athletes from all over the world gushed over his performance.

The cherry of top was his hole in one on the back nine on Sunday. A feat so unbelievable that even he needed his playing partner, former world number one, Rory McIlroy to confirm that it actually happened.

Of course, PGA TOUR v. LIV had to show up. Brooks Koepka outlasted Victor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler (two top players that stayed loyal to the PGA TOUR) for the title. But, other than perhaps Dustin Johnson, no other LIV golfer managed the split between golf’s adversaries better than Koepka. Even Rory hugged the eventual champion in the parking lot afterwards.

Then look at the U.S. Open.

Contested for the first time in 75 years in Los Angeles at LACC, this edition showcased how the best golfers played not how the powers that be in the USGA can mess with the course or the players’ minds.

We had Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele shoot the lowest score ever, 62 within 20 minutes of each other in round one. We had McIlroy come within one shot of his first major win in 9 years (if that sounds familiar, see the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrew’s).

Perhaps most importantly, we had a golf course that was the star of the show. It featured 5 par threes, one that could have played as short as 98 yards, brutally long par fours and a finishing fairway that was three times the width of a normal U.S. Open fairway.

All within 10 miles of downtown LA.

I was glued to my TV for both weekends.

In the end, isn’t that what we all want out of our collective compulsion for televised golf?   Don’t we want the best players in the world, on the best courses battling it out for the most iconic championships? Throw in a “Cinderella Story” every once in a while, and you have must see sports TV.

Can we get back to that… PLEASE?