Michael Block is in the house for the Australian Open, so sound the bugles and cue the puns: Do your Block. Crowds around the Block. Rock around the Block.

Kid Block? Not so much, the man is 47.

Regardless – the Block Party starts now.

The club pro out of Arroyo Trabuco GC in Mission Viejo, California, who had a slam-dunk hole-in-one while playing with Rory McIlroy in the last round of the US PGA at Oak Hill and who finished T15 and pocketed $US288k is enjoying 15 minutes of fame that’s been going six months.

Block says when the invite came to play the Australian Open “it was an absolute no-brainer – I’d never been here.”

“In the last six months I’ve been to Europe, Qatar, now Australia. I’m very lucky.

"I’m a huge fan of golf, I love playing golf with the best players in the world. And here we are and I’m glad to be here at the Australian Open.

"I’m very fortunate and I’m going to do my best,” Block says.

Friends, including Australian PGA champion Min Woo Lee, with whom Block has stayed in touch since they were paired together in a small-fry tournament in California five years ago, will tell you Block is a genuine and good bloke.

Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “Like all golf fans, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Michael’s efforts at Oak Hill and we feel he is the perfect fit of the Australian Open as we continue to showcase our world first dual gender format."

Reaction on social media was not as positive. 

 

 

 

 

The editor of this esteemed journal wrote in our December issue “with all due respect to him and his ability to play the game, I cannot see him dragging too many fans through the gates for the first two days of the Australian Open. That’s right: two days.”

Block acknowledges that there’s expectation on him to perform. He says in the last six months he’s known “more pressure than I’ve had in the first 46 years of my life.”

“The interview thing, I’ve gotten used to that. But I haven’t gotten used to the pressure of the golf world watching, and seeing how I’m doing," Block says.

“I’ve got a lot of fans and I’ve got some people who don’t wish me the best!

“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.

"I’m going to go out and play my best I think I’ll be very comfortable here. The golf course looks spectacular and the people have been nothing but great."

A week after T15 in the PGA Championship Michael Block played the Charles Schwab and missed the cut. PHOTO: Getty Images

On his chances in the tournament, Block says his form is “good!” But he'll need touch on the greens to play the weekend.

“My big thing ... I’m not the bomber here and it’s a big park, I can see. I need to roll the rock. I’ve been working really hard this whole last week back in California on my putting stroke.

"If I can roll the rock I can hang. If I’m not making any putts I’m going to have some problems."

Block says that “never ever" in his life did he think he'd play the Australian Open, an event he says he's been watching his whole life. 

Block says growing up he was a “huge Greg Norman fan”. “That guy can drive the ball like no one other.” He’s a huge Adam Scott fan and so’s his wife “who has a crush on him.”

Michael Block is not long off the tee relative to the 'bombers'. He'll need to putt low to stay the weekend at The Australian. PHOTO: Getty Images

On Lee, Block says: “That boy is striping it right now, man. It’s so much fun to watch Min hit a golf ball."

Most of all Block says he's “big fan of Aussie golf”. He adds that he’ll be a bigger one once he’s played the course.

“This course (The Australian) is absolutely spectacular behind me, very reminiscent of Augusta National when I walked through the back door here earlier today. I can’t wait to get out there and play.”

Going forward Block will continue to parlay his ‘fame’ into the ability to do cool stuff and get paid for it.

“I’m not saying ‘no’ to anything. I’m having fun with it and going everywhere. If they want me in Qatar for 24 hours [to shoot a video for TaylorMade and Red Bull at Doha Country Club], I’m going.

"I was on the plane longer getting there than I was on the ground. But I got to hang out with [Formula One drivers] Max Verstappen and Checo [Perez], and play golf with them, the three of us.

"I’ll travel the world to do that,” Block says.

While he’ll have more than 24 hours in Sydney, it will still be a whirlwind trip. There's a ferry ride to Taronga Zoo in his future and he'd like to see the museum. 

“I need to see some roos, for sure. I had a beer or two at the Opera House yesterday, there was a rainbow of the Harbour Bridge, it was a very special moment.

"And I’m staying downtown which is cool.

"And I need to have a sausage roll or something like that,” Block said.