Blades Brown arrived in California’s Coachella Valley for the American Express less than two weeks after graduating from high school, and the 18-year-old has been turning heads ever since his opening round.
With the final round set to begin on Sunday, Jan. 25th, Brown finds himself tied for second alongside World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. The pair trail 2021 champion Si Woo Kim by just one shot.
Brown made his professional debut one year ago at the same tournament, where he unfortunately missed the cut. Since then, he has made 10 PGA Tour starts, and this week marked a major breakthrough for the teen.
Brown became the youngest player in PGA Tour history to shoot a round of 60 or better, while also setting the course record at the Nicklaus Tournament Course. His performance saw him climb to second place, earning him a spot in the final-round pairing with Scheffler and Kim.
Who is 18-Year-Old Blades Brown
Blades Brown comes from a strong athletic family. His mother, Rhonda Blades Brown, played in the inaugural WNBA season in 1997 after a standout four-years at Vanderbilt University. As a member of the New York Liberty, she made the first three-point shot in league history before finishing her WNBA career with the Detroit Shock in 1998.
Following her playing career, Rhonda spent 23 seasons as the girls basketball coach at Brentwood Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. She stepped away from the program in February 2024 after compiling five state championships and 475 wins.
Currently ranked World No. 485, Brown has competed in nine professional events, making four cuts. His amateur history is equally as impressive. At the 2023 U.S. Amateur, he broke a 103-year-old record set by Bobby Jones by becoming the youngest medalist in the event’s history. During that same tournament, he shot a course-record 64 at Colorado Golf Club.
Brown also topped the Rolex AJGA Rankings during his amateur career and won three consecutive Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association individual state championships.
Turning Pro
Brown’s first PGA Tour start came at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic, where he finished tied for 26th. Later that year, he announced his decision to forgo college and turn professional.
“There were a lot of trade-offs in every decision that we make, and for me turning professional was a very difficult decision, but it was the best decision that I believe was for me,” Brown said.
“I feel like you’re put in a position out here where you have to get better. Playing against people such as Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, I mean you learn from the best. I feel like that’s life; you learn each and every day. I’m probably not going to be going to school in college, but I am going to be going to school on the PGA TOUR, so that sounds pretty good to me.”
The American Express
The American Express Tournament is unique in that it takes place over three different courses before a cut to the top 65 plus ties. The final round is then held at the Pete Dye Stadium Course.
Blades Brown will tee off tomorrow, Sunday, Jan 25th alongside Scottie Scheffler and Si Woo Kim at the $9.2 million event. Kim enters the final round at 22-under-par, while Scheffler and Brown sit one shot back at 21 under. Fans can watch final-round coverage on Golf Channel or stream it live on ESPN+.
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