Nashville’s 17-Year-Old Blades Brown Shoots 64 In Second Round As Professional

  • Friday, January 17, 2025
  • Paul Payne
Blades Brown shot 8-under par 64 on Friday at the American Express tournament
Blades Brown shot 8-under par 64 on Friday at the American Express tournament
photo by PGA Tour

It would be understandable if Blades Brown was battling some butterflies in his stomach on Thursday afternoon.

After all, the Nashville native was teeing it up as professional golfer for the first time in the American Express event at PGA West in the California desert when most others his age are trying to figure out how to navigate their junior year of high school.

The 17-year-old phenom who last month announced his decision to bypass college and go directly into the deep waters of professional golf had compiled a successful amateur resume’. There was never a question of having the game that would transcend to the professional level. He had already proven that by making the cut and finishing tied for 26th at the PGA Tour stop in Myrtle Beach last summer as an amateur.

With all eyes on Brown, who was granted a sponsor exemption for his debut at LaQuinta Country Club – one of three courses hosting the event – he got off to a rocky start. After opening with a par, he followed that with a bogey and a double bogey to find himself 3-over after only three holes.

Surely naysayers grumbled that the stage was too big for a teenager to bite off this big of a challenge. But those folks simply don’t understand the fabric of this young man’s character and the immense support network in place through his close-knit family and friends.

Three consecutive birdies brought Brown back even through six holes, and he closed out his initial round with 12 straight pars to sign for an even par 72. Not bad considering his slow start, but he found himself 10 shots off the lead after only one day in a tournament known for golfers going low.

But on the Nicklaus Tournament Course on Friday, Brown provided a glimpse of what people have been saying for years – that this kid is a generational talent who might be the next big thing on the professional golf scene.

Starting on the back nine, Brown parred the 10th and made a bogey at on the par-5 11th. But then he caught fire. He had eight birdies in a nine-hole stretch – including six in a row starting at No. 12 – to close with a round of 8-under 64.

He climbed 76 places on the leaderboard to close in a tie for 40th, eight shots off the lead of 16-under held by co-leaders Charley Hoffman and Rico Hoey.

Brown hit 11 of 14 fairways on Friday after finding the fairway only four times his opening round, and was precise with his approaches in hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation. His average of 1.38 putts per green in regulation was 4th among all contestants, and his ten birdies made was 2nd.

"I like to make golf simple, and yesterday I didn't make golf simple, but just trying to hit as many fairways and greens as I could, luckily today that was the case," Brown said.

With the 54-hole cut projected to be around 9 under after Saturday’s round, Brown is well-positioned to be able to hang around for Sunday’s final 18.

Brown’s major golf sponsors include Callaway golf products and Travis Mathew apparel. He’s serving as an ambassador to Tennessee golf with his custom tour bag featuring the logo of the Tennessee Golf Foundation. 

His management agency, SportFive, runs the tournament. With up to seven sponsor exemptions allowed each year for players, SportFive also runs the Puerto Rico Open, Myrtle Beach Classic and ISCO Championship. Top 10 finishers at PGA Tour events can earn additional tournament exemptions.

Although Brown cannot become a member of the PGA Tour until he turns 18 in May, there was much prayer and counsel sought before making his decision to skip college.

“There were a lot of trade-offs in every decision that we make, and for me turning professional was a very difficult decision,” Brown said. “But it was the best decision that I believe was for me. When someone comes up to you and says, ‘Hey, do you want to play on the PGA Tour?’, I'm like, yeah, 100 percent, let's do it."

Also making an impressive showing is former Vanderbilt golfer Mathew Riedel, who earned his PGA Tour exemption via securing one of the coveted tour cards at last month’s PGA Tour Qualifying School.

Riedel stands at 10-under 134 in a tie for 20th after posting rounds of 68-66 thus far.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com

 

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