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‘Totally Misconstrued, Misconceived, the Whole Thing’: Ahead of Open Championship, PGA Hero Michael Block Laments About His Controversial Opinion Involving Rory McIlroy

Published 07/05/2023, 9:50 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Walking across the Oak Hill Country Club, a certain Michael Block was a nobody amongst the star golfers who had aligned on the field. Yet, the PGA club member etched into public euphoria after his dazzling performance at the year’s PGA Championship, which garnered him numerous invitations from various talk shows and podcasts.

While Block’s humble nature was appreciated throughout the golf weekend, things began to unravel when the 47-year-old made some boastful comments while comparing himself to former World No. 1 Rory McIlroy. Public backlash followed soon, which forced the instant star to make a series of apologies.

What did Michael Block say regarding his comparison to Rory McIlroy?

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Having finished in the top 20 at a major championship, Block became a hero for countless fans worldwide. He even made a hole-in-one in Sunday’s final round with Rory McIlroy by his side, before executing a successful up-and-down to guarantee his ticket to the next year’s PGA Championship.

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Block was the flavor of the golf world with his dreamy performance, with media houses struggling to get an interview with the man in great demand. While he himself claimed to have done more than “a couple of thousand interviews”, a statement from one of those didn’t sit well with fans.

USA Today via Reuters

Indeed, chatting on Bob Menery’s ‘RipperMagoo Podcast’, Block claimed that he could be “one of the best players in the world” if he could drive the same distance as pro golfer Rory McIlroy. It turned out to be a controversial opinion on the internet and backfired within his newfound fan base.

Here’s what Block said in his latest apology

Block has since made every effort to apologize for the statements, claiming that they were received without context. The latest iteration was reported on the sidelines of Open Championship qualifying, where the golfer is currently playing.

“It was totally misconstrued, misconceived, the whole thing. I really feel like if you’re a real golfer, you kind of understood what I had meant,” he said. “Would I be better than Rory McIlroy? Absolutely not. Rory is an absolute stud and at no point, in any shape or form, was I ever trying to say anything about Rory or the tour professionals.”

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“It was taken completely out of context, but is also my fault, I guess. I said it the wrong way. I did a couple of thousand interviews [after the tournament] but I guess I did say one thing wrong, but it’s okay,” he added.

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Block is among the final cadet list for the last Open Championship places, with four spots available at the Dundonald Links in Scotland. Can he earn another chance to shine at a major championship to erase the effect of his adverse statements? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Watch This Story | Golf fans aren’t Happy with Michael Block’s recent confession

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Written by:

Sharan Nair

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Sharan Nair is a Senior Golf Writer at EssentiallySports. He constantly covers the ongoing PGA vs LIV Golf tussle as it progresses. With over 600 articles to his name, Sharan masters the sport with his in-depth knowledge and research that is reflected in his meticulous coverage of all the Majors.
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Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

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