{"id":349547,"date":"2023-11-27T02:02:22","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T03:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=349547"},"modified":"2023-11-27T04:00:45","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T04:00:45","slug":"bitter-reaction-to-accidental-cult-heros-viral-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=349547","title":{"rendered":"Bitter reaction to accidental cult hero's viral moment"},"content":{"rendered":"

While some punters will be happily cheering on Michael Block at this week's Australian Open<\/a> in Sydney, there is a faction who believe he shouldn't be there at all.<\/p>\n

The 47-year-old American club professional became a golf<\/a> cult hero\ufeff at this year's PGA Championship<\/a> at Oak Hill, when he slam dunked a hole-in-one during the final round while playing alongside Irish champion Rory McIlroy.<\/p>\n

A slam dunk – where the ball goes straight into the cup without touching the green – is possibly the rarest feat in the sport. To do it at a major tournament, and as an invited club pro, was previously unheard of.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Ange's ultimate tribute for late former Socceroos coach<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Socceroos star breaks silence after avoiding prison<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Aussies shattered as Davis Cup drought continues<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The moment instantly shot Block to a fame he wasn't expecting, or particularly ready for.<\/p>\n

\ufeffBut on top of becoming an overnight internet sensation, Block's T15 finish at the PGA Championship earned him $438,000 and automatic exemption for a number of top tournaments around the globe, including the Australian Open.<\/p>\n

\"Rory<\/p>\n

"I like to earn my way into most things, this one I was lucky enough to get an exemption," Block told SEN radio on Monday after landing in Sydney.<\/p>\n

"It was a no-brainer I was going to come to Sydney and play here. It is absolutely spectacular, it is reminiscent of Augusta National, to be honest."<\/p>\n

While much of the sporting world relished seeing a club pro upstage the game's best at a major tournament, his achievements haven't been appreciated by everyone.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2023 Australian Open golf live and free from November 30 on Nine and<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.\ufeff<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\ufeffAustralian pro Scott Hend is one who took umbrage with Block's inclusion at this week's Open – to be played at Sydney's The Australian and The Lakes.<\/p>\n

"Well done to Michael and his agent for getting whatever they did for this to happen," Hend tweeted in October in response to the news.<\/p>\n

"This is just showing and confirming where a once respected tournament is heading… poor leadership, at the very least."<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/hendygolf\/status\/1717834823220564285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/a>https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndrewKirbyGolf\/status\/1721036670387314998?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/a>https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThomsonGolf94\/status\/1728918646570041855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/a>https:\/\/twitter.com\/shaggs23\/status\/1720577162821107722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/a><\/p>\n

\ufeffBlock, speaking to media on Monday, conceded his cult hero status had rankled some in the sport.<\/p>\n

"I've got a lot of fans and I've got some people who don't wish me the best," he said.<\/p>\n

"It is what it is. I'm trying to learn that. I'm trying to learn how to not allow that to get in my head as I'm out playing."<\/p>\n

Block revealed on SEN he hasn't actually had time to give one lesson since his PGA Championship heroics, but reckons the newfound fame hasn't changed him.<\/p>\n

"Money hasn't changed a single thing about my life," he said.<\/p>\n

\"Aussie's<\/p>\n

"I drive\ufeff the same truck, I work at the same club, I live in the same house… and I'm not going to change anything.<\/p>\n

"I would have paid everything in my bank account to have the experience I had at the PGA, I can't believe that happened to me."<\/p>\n

As for Sydney, Block is keen to sample the harbourside pubs and bars\ufeff in between rounds at the Open.<\/p>\n

He considers himself a friend of Min Woo Lee – the rising Aussie star who won the Australian\ufeff PGA Championship at the weekend<\/a> – and hopes to catch a glimpse of Cameron Smith in action on the greens.\ufeff<\/p>\n

"I'm going to find Cam if I can here and just watch him putt for like an hour, because that guy's putting stroke is ridiculous," he said.<\/p>\n

The Australian Open starts Thursday at both courses.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While some punters will be happily cheering on Michael Block at this week's Australian Open in Sydney, there is a faction who believe he shouldn't […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":349549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349547"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=349547"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349547\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":349551,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349547\/revisions\/349551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/349549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=349547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=349547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=349547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}