In recent weeks, many young stars have made a name for themselves on the circuit, enhancing the PGA Tour’s prestige, with 16-year-old phenom Blades Brown potentially being the latest addition to this list.
After three rounds at the Martel Beach Classic in South Carolina, Brown sits at an impressive 22nd place, following a stellar five-under-par round of 66 on Saturday, bringing him to eight-under-par with 18 holes to play. This tournament serves as an alternate event to the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, where only 70 players were eligible to compete.
Brown has made excellent use of his opportunity, shining alongside his 16-year-old partner, Chris Kim, an English talent who became the youngest player to make the cut at a PGA Tour event in 11 years at the CJ Cup last week in Texas. Just last month, 15-year-old high school freshman Miles Russell became the youngest player to make the cut at a Corn Ferry Tour event, demonstrating a trend of rising young talent in professional golf.
Ranked fourth among junior amateurs in the United States and 176th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Brown’s performance at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club is sure to propel him up the rankings next week.
Reflecting on his impressive round on Saturday, Brown shared his admiration for three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, who had a significant impact on him as a 12-year-old aspiring professional.
“I’m trying to emulate what Jordan Spieth did to me once, just because I know for me, it meant the world to me as a little kid, but I know for him to say hi to a little kid is a small thing, but for me, it meant the world,” Brown said.
“It was at the 2018 Masters practice round. It was the 18th tee shot. He bent down, talked to me, asked my name, and made me feel like I was his friend. It’s a gift of impact. For him, it was just saying hi to a little kid, but for me, the ability and aura of the person, it means the world.”
Spieth is renowned for his willingness to engage with young fans. At the 2022 RBC Heritage in Harbour Town, the 30-year-old made his way into the field with an impressive final round and set foot on the clubhouse with a commanding 13-under-par. As soon as he stepped off the 18th green, dozens of children lined up for pictures and autographs with their hero.
With a potential playoff in mind, Spieth kept his composure with class. “Hey, kids,” he said. “So, I’m going to have to ask you to wait and see if there’s going to be a playoff or not, so I’m going to go inside and stay quiet for a bit, and then I promise I’ll be back out here. It’s either going to be after a playoff or if somebody else wins, then I’ll be back out here, alright, guys?”
The former world number one player was true to his word. Patrick Cantlay forced a playoff by matching Spieth’s score, but faltered. Spieth, capable both above and below the green bunker, defeated the 2017 Open Champion and slipped on the prestigious red tartan jacket.
Immediately after the winner’s ceremony, Spieth returned to where children patiently waited to meet their idol, handing out his cap, a signed golf ball, and posing for dozens of photos in the fading evening light.