PGA pro Michael Block invited into Canadian Open after Oak Hill fairytale

Michael Block at the 2023 PGA Championship

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 22 May 2023

It looks like Michael Block might not get back to work for some time yet having been handed another invitation into a PGA Tour event – this time the RBC Canadian Open in June.

The 46-year-old has enjoyed a Cinderella story that has captured the hearts of golf fans with his run at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill – almost outshining Brooks Koepka winning the Wanamaker Trophy for a third time.

The PGA Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California may not return to giving golf lessons at $125 a pop for a while after an incredible T15 finish at Oak Hill – including that memorable hole-in-one.

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Block earned $288,333 for his Oak Hill finish, the best by a club pro since 1986, an exemption into next year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla and bagged the first ace by a club pro in the event since 1996 – and all while playing the final round with Rory McIlroy.

What’s more, he became a huge favourite with fans and in the media – leading to him being invited to play in this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge on the PGA Tour, meaning instead of heading back home for work he’s diverting to the iconic Colonial Country Club in Texas.

But Block’s whirlwind success story will not end in Texas, as the Canadian Open has also jumped on the Block bandwagon – inviting him to play at their tournament on June 6-11 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto.

It seems the Block party may just keep on rolling through June as golf’s newest superstar gets a taste of PGA Tour life for just a little bit longer than he expected.

It just shows that golfing dreams can come true, and there’ll be PGA Pros up and down America trying to sharpen their games for the PGA Championship qualifiers next year to see if they can follow in his footsteps.

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Watch Michael Block's slam dunk hole-in-one:

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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Watch Michael Block's slam dunk hole-in-one: