17-year-old player breaks 40-year PGA Tour record, reveals secret to calmness
Brown Blade made PGA Tour history in the second round of the American Express.
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Blade Brown’s comeback in the second round of the American Express was not only impressive, but historic. Brown shot an 8-under 64 on Friday, which statistics guru Justin Ray reported was the lowest score in a PGA Tour round by a player under 18 in the past 40 years.
Seventeen-year-old Blaze Brown shot a 64 today at the American Express.
It was the lowest score in a PGA Tour round by a player under 18 years of age in the past 40 years.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) January 18, 2025
With 10 birdies, Brown surpassed three teenagers who have shot 65 in the past 25 years. Justin Thomas shot 65 in 2009 when he was 16; Tony Finau shot 65 in 2007 when he was 17; Ty Tryon shot 65 in 2001 when he was 17 (Ty Tryon) shot a 65.
Brown is wise beyond his years. When asked what he thought would be the differentiating factor in the second round, he said it helps to stick to his process, but really it comes down to perspective.
“I play golf for a living now, and I guarantee you, there are things more challenging than playing golf for a living,” Brown said. “Whether it’s a child lying in bed [with] Cancer…there’s a lot to be grateful for here.
“I think to put that in perspective: You get to play golf for free on incredible golf courses and with great people. I think putting that in perspective really helped me today.
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Brown’s lights-out putt also played a big role in his record-breaking run. In a post-match interview, Brown attributed his six consecutive birdies from holes 12 to 17 (he played the back nine first) to his extraordinary performance on the greens.
“When I got my third straight win, I thought, OK, we’ve got to keep the putter in our hands,” he said.
Brown is not arrogant. He just looks at the putt differently than a lot of players.
For Brown, putting is neither a skill nor a chore. Instead, he views it as an art form, and it’s this creativity and passion that makes him so proficient on the greens.
“I just think it’s an art,” Brown said. “I’m not an artist, but I’m an artist on the greens.
“I love being able to make some putts because, I mean, it’s the most accurate thing in golf, and I just, I love putting.”
As of this writing, Brown is 11 under through five holes in the third round, four strokes behind co-leaders Justin Lower and Mark Hubbard.
