Blaise Brown may have missed out on the American Express, but he showed the golf world that he has what it takes to compete on the PGA Tour at just 17 years old.
On Friday, he had six straight birdies to improve to 8-under 64. Bottom round on the PGA Tour According to statistician Justin Ray, this is the first record by a player under the age of 18 since 1985. He then played well on Saturday, posting a 2-under 34 on the front nine to move to 10 under for the championship and well within the cut line. But Brown couldn't convert until the end, three-putting consecutive greens on the 14th and 15th holes. On the par-3 17th hole with an island green, he hit his tee shot into the water and made double bogey. He went from 10 under par to 6 under par, finishing two strokes below the cut line.
Nevertheless, Brown's subsequent behavior is remarkable. For a 17-year-old to have such poise and incredible levels of mental strength says a lot about who he is and his potential in professional golf.
“My dad always says, 'When you win, you learn,'” Brown said.
“I'm definitely going to learn from this experience.”
Just last month, Brown announced on Instagram that he was giving up playing in college and turning pro. Other young stars have followed this path, including Akshay Bhatia and Tom Kim, both of whom have already won on the PGA Tour.
Like them, Brown wasn't interested in the college experience. He loves going to the gym and practicing and improving his game. His favorite club is the putter, a skill he spends hours honing on the practice green. He is a focused person and despite his age, he is a young man that many people can look up to. And his accomplishments are even more impressive when you consider when Brown came of age: the age of social media. Teenagers are glued to their smartphones, posting on social media and following their favorite influencers. Thanks to the emotional flood brought on by social media, anxiety and other mental health issues are skyrocketing in the same population. Still, Brown seems to be in control and focused on improving his game every day. and his Golf Channel Comments After his performance at American Express reflects that.
Despite missing the 54-hole cut at American Express, 17-year-old rookie pro Blaze Brown is positive and excited about the future. pic.twitter.com/K7hrEZueLa
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 19, 2025
“Golf is a strange and interesting game,” Brown told Rex Hoggard.
“You get good breaks from bad shots and you get bad breaks from good shots. But I'm going to keep my head up and it's going to hurt a little bit, but I'm looking forward to what happens next. ”
As for what he can learn from this experience, Brown emphasized his desire to improve his mental strength. But for him to acknowledge that aspect of his game speaks volumes about his already strong spirit and self-awareness.
“Mentally, I think I can definitely grow here,” Brown added.
“There's a lot going on on this golf course, but I'm just grateful to be here. It's a lot of fun to compete on the PGA Tour and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.”
Brown did not reflect much on what happened and insisted on focusing on the future, which is further evidence of his strong character.
And fortunately, Brown has a big chance on Monday. He entered Monday qualifying for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Brown will be playing alongside Chez Levy and Michael Brock, the latter of whom is still renowned for his impressive performance at the 2023 PGA Championship.
But regardless of what happens at Torrey Pines and in the coming weeks and months, Brown has already proven one thing. That means he's ready for the big stage and made the right decision to turn pro.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
