Tiger Woods is one of the finest golfers in the history of the sport, having landed 15 majors.
Tiger Woods is one of the finest golfers in the history of the sport
Golf may have another Tiger Woods ready to rise to the pinnacle of the game in the shape of 16-year-old American Blades Brown. The teenage sensation has joined Woods and Bobby Clampett as the only players in history to secure medal honours in both the US Junior Amateur and US Amateur tournaments.
Brown finished first in the stroke play portion of the US Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Detroit on Tuesday following rounds of 66 and 68.
And last year he was a co-medalist at the US Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver as he tied the course record with an eight-under 64.
Woods dominated golf in the late 1990s and 2000s after landing his first major trophy with Masters success in 1997. He has gone on to win the tournament another four times, with his final triumph coming in 2019.
The 48-year-old has also clinched four PGA Championships, three US Opens and three Open Championships but endured a miserable time at Royal Troon last week.
And he was in Detroit to witness Brown’s glory as he attended the tournament to watch his 15-year-old son Charlie, who ultimately missed the cut. Woods and Brown even posed for a photograph together, with the duo seen smiling from ear to ear.
Tiger Woods and Blades Brown met at this week’s US Junior Amateur
Brown, who is a high-school junior and is ranked No. 2 in the class of 2026, is becoming accustomed to the limelight thanks to his success in recent years.
The youngster won three consecutive golf state championships from 2021 to 2023 and is currently placed at No. 9 in the junior American rankings.
He earned a sponsorship deal with Callaway after his display at last year’s US Amateur and made his PGA Tour debut at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May as he tied for 26th place after finishing at 10 under-par.
Brown, who is based in Tennessee, discussed the influence of his parents during an interview with the PGA Tour website during his appearance at the classic. And he explained: “She’s my mum. She gives me hugs, encourages me all I can. My dad’s like, ‘Hit it at the pin’.”
And the teenager added: “I love golf. Playing golf brings me so much joy in life, visualising shots, making calculations – then executing is awesome.
“It’s so much fun. God’s given me the ability and the talent, and to be able to put that on display for others is a driving factor. Another thing is that you get to play some really good courses.”