Michael Block honored as 2023 PGA Professional of the Year

The year 2023 was undoubtedly the summit of Michael Block's sporting career. The PGA pro starred in the 'Cinderella story' of the golf season, but also had other excellent sporting results and more than one accolade.

Michael Block received the PGA Player of the Year Award, granted by the PGA of America. The institution announced the news this Wednesday, January 10, on its official website and through social media profiles.

Block is the PGA Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California. In 2023, he finished T2 in the PGA Professional Championship, which led him to the PGA Championship as part of the "Corebridge Financial PGA Team."

In Rochester, Michael Block earned the top sports result of his career, finishing T15 with a 1-over score and qualifying directly for the 2024 edition of the PGA Championship. Block was so fine-tuned at Oak Hill Country Club that he had an ace on the 15th hole of the fourth round.

His outstanding performance at the PGA Championship gained him a one-way ticket to stardom. Subsequently, Michael Block was invited to the Charles Schwab Challenge and the RBC Canadian Open.

In September, Michael Block won the Southern California PGA Section Championship. Thanks to this performance, he was named Southern California PGA Player of the Year Award for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons.

The 2023 PGA Player of the Year Awar is the second in a row for Michael Block. He said about the same (via PGA of America):

"I was never in my life thinking 'let’s try to do this twice.' I had this as a goal in life to win it one time. I happened to play well in two important events, the national club pro and the PGA Championship. I’m lucky enough to get it two times in a row."

A look into other honorees besides Michael Block

The PGA of America also announced the Women's PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year Awards. The recipients were Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth and Bob Sowards, respectively.

Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth serves as a PGA/LPGA Teaching Professional at San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida. During the season, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a PGA Tournament Series event in its 46-year history.

Her season included a runner-up finish in the Women's Stroke Play event at the PGA Winter Championships and her fifth consecutive appearance in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Bob Sowards is the PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio. He won the PGA Senior Stroke Play Championship and the Senior PGA Professional Championships and finished T38 in the U.S. Senior Open.

This is the fifth PGA Senior Professional Player of the Year Award (third in a row) for Sowards. In addition, he is a four-time winner of the PGA Professional Player of the Year Award.