“I’m trying to act the way that Jordan Spieth did to me”: Blades Brown on imitating his idol on and off the course
Blades Brown is the third teenager to make the cut at a PGA Tour-related tournament in recent weeks. Brown is just outside the Top 20 of the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic with a score of 8 under.
His performance has caused him to deal with the attention of the media and fans. Regarding his approach to the latter, Blades Brown expressed that he is inspired by his role model, Jordan Spieth.
"I'm trying to act the way that Jordan Spieth did to me that one time," Blades brown said after his 3rd round, "just because I know that it's so little for me to do that to some little kid, but I know to that kid it means the world, because that's what it was like for me."
"It was 2018 Masters practice round," Brown added, "it was the 18 tee shot. He bent down talked me, asked my name, made me feel like I was his friend, and, I mean, that's the gift of influence. For him that was just saying hi to a little kid, but to me, for a person of his caliber and his decoration, it meant the world."
Blades Brown, 16, joined fellow teenagers Miles Russell and Kris Kim, who made the cut in professional tournaments in recent weeks.
Russell made the cut at the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic at age 15 to become the youngest player to make the cut on that circuit. Later, 16-year-old Kris Kim made the cut at the PGA Tour's CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
The 2018 was one of Jordan Spieth's best performances at the Masters (besides his 2015 victory). Spieth finished third, with a score of 13 under, two strokes behind winner Patrick Reed. Blades Brown was 9 years old at the time.
A Look into Blades Brown's Performance at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic
Blades Brown has been improving his performance at the Myrtle Beach Classic as the event has progressed. Brown played his first round for a score of 1-over, with five birdies and six bogeys.
On Friday, he improved his score, carding five birdies and one bogey (4 under), while on Saturday, he played bogey-free with five birdies to set his score at 8 under after 54 holes. With the round remaining, Brown sits T23, eight strokes behind leader Chris Gotterup.
Brown has been above the field average in several areas of play. He has hit 40 of 54 greens in regulation (74.07%, ranked 21st) and has used 1.79 putts per green in regulation (33rd). He is ranked 16th in the tournament in Stroke Gained: Putting with 3,561.
In 2023, Brown became the youngest player to finish as co-medalist in the stroke play phase of the U.S. Amateur. The record previously belonged to the legendary Bobby Jones.