PGA Championship: Hovland, Block shine, more heading into moving day - ESPN

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — At last year's PGA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Michael Block finally figured out he belonged in the field.

Playing a couple of holes behind a marquee group that included Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas at Southern Hills Country Club, Block posted a 3-over 73 in the second round with hundreds of fans watching.

«It was ten deep on every hole I played,» Block said. «I shot 73 with everyone there. My [general manager] even said, 'That was you not being a club pro anymore.' So it was a big moment for me. I've kind of lived off that ever since.»

Block, 46, is still a club pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, a daily-fee course in Mission Viejo, California. But Block has proved in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, that he's also one heck of a player.

While some of the best players in the world, including Tom Kim, Cameron Young, Sungjae Im and Sam Burns, are headed home after missing the cut, Block is sticking around to play the final two rounds this weekend. He is tied for 10th at even par after carding 70 in each of the first two rounds.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Block is only the second club pro to be in the top 20 of the PGA Championship after 36 holes in the past 20 years.

«I'm extremely comfortable,» Block said. «To be honest, a couple of my friends in Orange County [California] are Beau Hossler and Patrick Cantlay. I've played a lot of golf with them now [and] they've become my friends. I understand where they're ranked in the world. I understand how my game doesn't quite get up to them, but I'm pretty darn close, and I can compete with them.»

On Friday, Block was pretty close to grabbing at least a share of the lead. He birdied