Blades Brown made PGA Tour history during the second round of the American Express.
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Blades Brown’s return in the second round American Express it was not only impressive – but also historic. On Friday, Brown shot an 8-under 64, which statistics guru Justin Ray said was the lowest PGA Tour round score by a player under 18 in the last 40 years.
17-year-old Blades Brown shot and killed 64 people at The American Express today.
This is the lowest PGA Tour score by a player under 18 in the last 40 years.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) January 18, 2025
With his 10-birdie effort, Brown passed three teenagers who have shot 65s in the last quarter-century. Is Justin Thomaswho shot 65 in 2009, when he was just 16; Controversy surrounding Tony in 2007, at the age of 17, he shot 65; and Ty Tryon, who carded 65 in 2001 at age 17.
Brown is wise beyond his years. When asked what he thought made the difference in the second round, he said sticking to his method helped, but it really came down to perspective.
“Right now I play golf for a living, and I assure you there are a lot more difficult things than playing golf for a living,” Brown said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a child lying in bed [with] cancer… there is something to be grateful for here.
“I think to put it in perspective, you can play golf for free on… unbelievable golf course and with wonderful people. I think just keeping my distance definitely helped me today.”
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Brown’s shot with the lights off also played a significant role in his record-breaking round. In a post-round interview, Brown attributed a streak of six straight birdies on holes 12–17 (he first played a back nine) to his skill on the greens.
“When I got three in a row, I thought, ‘OK, we’ve got to get the putter in hand,'” he said.
Brown wasn’t cocky. He just looks at the game differently than many players.
For Brown, putting is neither a skill nor a chore. Instead, he sees it as an art form and it is his creativity and passion that make him so adept on the greens.
“I just think there’s an art to it,” Brown said. “I’m not an artist, but I’m an artist on the green.
“I love being able to make some putts because it’s the most precise game in golf and I just love putting.”
As of this writing, Brown is 11 under through five holes in the third round four co-leaders Justin Lower and Mark Hubbard.
