Just Another Guy
When I started this blog a month or so ago, as some readers know, it was part of a golf pool soapbox rant that I would dump on the poor players that were in the pool. Of course being a golf pool, the thoughts were about …..you guessed it, golf. I noted when posting the first edition of the "desk drawer" that it would cover all sports not just golf, which I did with a few recent posts. Now however, I need to circle back to fairways and greens because this past weekend's PGA Championship captured that story that all sports fans love … the underdog.
For those that saw it and for those who haven't as of yet but really should, a PGA professional not only played but played so well that the crowds took to him as their own all week. He kept himself in contention up until Sunday when he was paired up in what he termed a "dream matchup" on Sunday's final round with one of golf's legends; Rory McIlroy. As the day wore on, the crowds following the pairing grew and the cheers got louder; not to watch Rory but to follow Michael Block; the guy next door … Everyone can relate to him, grinding for everything; a PGA professional for 20 years in California trying to carve out a decent living, was now the guy that everyone was rooting for. As a lifetime sports fan, I love the big moments and will always remember them. No matter what sport or venue isn't it always between a favorite and an underdog? Pick a sport any sport… shit, it could be a horse race, a boxing match or an Olympic event. When it’s a neutral situation with none of my hometown interests at stake, I for one always tend to gravitate to the side of the less heralded one, it gives you something/someone to root for. US men's hockey's win over the Russians is the Mount Rushmore of these "Rocky" type moments. Other like Buster Douglas captured our hearts in beating the unbeatable Mike Tyson, the list is endless. That’s why they make movies like Rudy and Hoosiers; they know what we like.
The underdog doesn’t always have to win, they just have to show they belong. Give us an effort and we'll give you our cheers. I will never forget Sunday's moment, when the guy next door, Michael Block, made a hole in one at Hole 15 at Oak Hill CC in the PGA Championship. The roar of the crowd was as loud as any moment in any event I have ever witnessed. It was for all the Sunday hackers, it was a goose bump moment because he's one of us. He was the ultimate underdog; not one fan on the last 4 holes was interested in Rory, they wanted to revel with Michael Block, it was their hole in one. Even Rory was caught up in the drama, seemingly enjoying himself knowing this was not just another round. Block finished off this magic carpet ride by getting up and down on 18 with yet another miraculous play. The crowd showered him with an ovation that seemed to have no end.
Brooks Koepka came along an hour later and captured the title in a wonderful display of golf and his accomplishment did not go unnoticed but much like Roy McAvoy in Tin Cup after he rinsed a few balls in a "go for broke" moment and then made a shot for the ages, he said " I just threw away the Open and Rene Russo said "Roy no one will remember who won today…but they'll never forget that shot".
Brooksy won major #5 but anyone at Oak Hill Sunday will never forget Michael Block, the ultimate underdog .
