Young Guns Take Lead in Thrilling American Express Open
Eighteen-year-old Blades Brown edged closer to golfing immortality on Friday, firing an incredible 59 at the American Express Open, but ultimately falling just short of becoming the youngest player in PGA Tour history to break 60. The round is now tied for the lowest score by a teenager since 1983.
Brown's exceptional display left him alongside World No.1 Scottie Scheffler at the top of the leaderboard on 17-under-par after two rounds, with Brown's moment arriving unexpectedly after a remarkable front nine that included six birdies and an eagle.
Brown needed just a single birdie to seal his place in history but agonizingly missed the putt by a hair's breadth. However, his round still boasts a course record, and he showed incredible poise as he signed for 60, a score that has put him firmly on the path to victory.
"I stuck to my game plan, I executed a game plan I could control," Brown said in a post-round interview. "I couldn't get it this time but I am so stoked." Despite his disappointment at missing out on the historic 59, Brown remains ecstatic about his display and looks forward to executing more shots like it.
Scheffler, meanwhile, produced a solid second round that saw him add eight birdies and no bogeys, putting him in contention for a strong finish. "I didn't get off to the start I would have hoped to get off to today," Scheffler said. "Outside of that, I did a really good job on the back nine... We're halfway done, but I put myself in good position after two days with two solid rounds, and just looking forward to hopefully putting up another solid round tomorrow and then we'll see where we're at going into Sunday."
The American Express Open continues on Saturday, with Brown focusing on executing his shots and Scheffler determined to hold onto the top spot. The stage is set for an epic battle between two of golf's most promising young stars.
Eighteen-year-old Blades Brown edged closer to golfing immortality on Friday, firing an incredible 59 at the American Express Open, but ultimately falling just short of becoming the youngest player in PGA Tour history to break 60. The round is now tied for the lowest score by a teenager since 1983.
Brown's exceptional display left him alongside World No.1 Scottie Scheffler at the top of the leaderboard on 17-under-par after two rounds, with Brown's moment arriving unexpectedly after a remarkable front nine that included six birdies and an eagle.
Brown needed just a single birdie to seal his place in history but agonizingly missed the putt by a hair's breadth. However, his round still boasts a course record, and he showed incredible poise as he signed for 60, a score that has put him firmly on the path to victory.
"I stuck to my game plan, I executed a game plan I could control," Brown said in a post-round interview. "I couldn't get it this time but I am so stoked." Despite his disappointment at missing out on the historic 59, Brown remains ecstatic about his display and looks forward to executing more shots like it.
Scheffler, meanwhile, produced a solid second round that saw him add eight birdies and no bogeys, putting him in contention for a strong finish. "I didn't get off to the start I would have hoped to get off to today," Scheffler said. "Outside of that, I did a really good job on the back nine... We're halfway done, but I put myself in good position after two days with two solid rounds, and just looking forward to hopefully putting up another solid round tomorrow and then we'll see where we're at going into Sunday."
The American Express Open continues on Saturday, with Brown focusing on executing his shots and Scheffler determined to hold onto the top spot. The stage is set for an epic battle between two of golf's most promising young stars.
what a round by Blades Brown! I'm still in shock he didn't get that 59 in 
. Still, 17-under-par after two rounds is insane 
and he showed some serious skill out there. Scottie Scheffler's solid second round has him right behind Brown, but it'll be tough for him to keep up with this kid's momentum 
. I love how Brown's staying positive despite missing that historic shot 
, and Scheffler's keeping his cool too 
. The competition is heating up, can't wait to see what the rest of the tournament has in store! 
. It's not just about the score itself, but how he managed to keep his cool under pressure and stick to his game plan 
. Of course, missing out on that historic 59 by a hair's breadth is tough to swallow 
, but you've got to hand it to him for the poise and sportsmanship he showed after the round 
.
. Two young guns going head-to-head in what promises to be an epic battle on the course 
️. Can't wait to see how they both bounce back from this weekend's action 
I think it's pretty telling that 18-year-old Blades Brown's game-plan-centric approach was able to withstand the pressure, yet he still fell just shy of achieving history. It's a testament to his mental toughness and ability to stay focused on the task at hand, even when the outcome is far from certain. Scheffler's response to missing out on being in contention seems relatively measured, but you can almost sense a hint of frustration beneath the surface - after all, that 8-birdie performance is certainly no easy feat! 
I'm still reeling from Blades Brown's incredible 59, it was like watching a golfing superpower unfold before my eyes! 
! Scottie Scheffler's solid second round keeps him in contention, but let's be real, Brown is the one to beat here 
. I love how he stuck to his game plan and executed it flawlessly - that level of focus and calm under pressure is just inspiring 
. Scheffler's solid gameplay is gonna be a great test for Brown on Saturday. Who's got the edge? 
... but at the same time, I'm kinda thinking he might've been a bit reckless to go for 59 on his first round? Like, it's cool that he's young and fearless, but shouldn't he be saving it up for Sunday? 
And what's with Scheffler being so chill about his game plan? Like, isn't that just a cop-out or something? 
.
. I love how both of them are staying focused and looking forward to the next two rounds - this is shaping up to be an epic battle for the ages 
... Blades Brown is literally a superhero on the course! 59 in the books, what an incredible feat 
my money's on Brown though, he seems so focused and determined 
... I'm hyped he got so close to history and still had a solid round under his belt 
59 is just insane! I know he was so close to breaking 60 but like, can you even imagine what that would've meant?! 