“It doesn’t feel right” - Blaine Hale Jr. opens up on becoming a PGA Tour golfer four years after turning pro
Blaine Hale Jr. had a dreamy outing at the recently held 2023 PGA Tour Q-School tournament. After going professional in 2019, he finally obtained full status to compete on the Tour in 2023. Hale Jr. began his professional career four years ago but has only participated in Monday qualifications or special exemption events thus far.
But in 2024, after four years of hardship, the American will finally be able to compete on the PGA Tour. Blaine Hale Jr., though, is still in disbelief that he made it to the Tour. Following the Q-School competition, the 26-year-old golfer gave a media interview where he discussed his journey to becoming a professional player and the significance of the card for him.
During the press conference, a reporter questioned him about his feelings on being able to call himself a PGA Tour player.
Replying to him, Hale Jr. said (via PGA Tour):
"It doesn't feel right, but we'll figure it out, hopefully in the next couple of days."
The Dallas native also discussed his experience competing on mini-tours and the struggles experienced by golfers throughout their careers.
"Golf hasn't looked how I thought it would, turning pro. I tell people all the time that being a professional golfer is not necessarily glamorous when you're not playing on the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour; it's driving to the middle of nowhere in Kansas for a Monday qualifier or driving to the small town of Oklahoma to play a mini-tour event," he said.
"I even told my wife last week when I made it through a second stage that to me it was almost hard to tell people that I was a professional golfer because they're like, 'What tour are you on?' And I am like, 'Well...I play mini-tours, I play glorified money games, and I play Monday qualifiers.' Actually getting to say I am a PGA Tour golfer might hold a little more merit now," he added.
Blaine Hale Jr. managed to settle for third place at the 2023 PGA Tour Q-School to earn his card. He finished with a score of under nine to end up six strokes behind the winner.
All about Blaine Hale Jr's professional career
Blaine Hale Jr. is a professional golfer who has so far competed in mini-tour events. He turned pro in 2019 and has only played in one PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament in his career. The American competed at the 2022 Veritex Bank Championship, a Korn Ferry Tour event, and finished in the T26 position. He played four rounds of 68, 65, 69, and 67 to finish with a total of under 15.
Hale Jr.'s current Official World Golf Ranking is 4,120th and he is now all set to make his PGA Tour debut. The 2024 season of the PGA Tour will kick off in January with the Sentry Tournament of Champions, followed by the Sony Open.