Michael Jordan sent ‘sincere’ texts to ’emotional’ Michael Block to tell him he’s an ‘inspiration’

It’s been about a month since Michael Block captured the hearts and minds of golf fans around the world with a stunning display at the PGA Championship.

The course pro from Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Orange County, California shocked the world – winning Low Professional, finishing tied for 15th and getting an exemption for next year’s edition of the second major on the calendar.

Talking to the New York Post, Block has returned to his regular job, but his success has caused some not-so-normal things to happen. He received a message from one of the greatest athletes of all time.

“Michael Jordan texted me, and I didn’t even see his original text at first,” Block told the Post in Arroyo Trabuco.

“My Nike guy called me at Colonial and said, ‘Dude, did you see Jordan text you yesterday? I was like, “What? You’re kidding,” because I had thousands of texts. It took me half an hour to find it.’

Block said he got a lot of attention – and was even called an inspiration by Michael Jordan

In the first message he sent Block, Jordan said Block would “always be an inspiration” to him.

The NBA Hall-of-Famer even got in touch after missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial, saying “you won’t know until you try.”

“These were really heartfelt lyrics,” Block said. “They weren’t like, ‘Hey, really great game, MJ'”

Block said it took a while for the events of the PGA Championship to really hit him – with his successful weekend at Oak Hill – culminating in a hole-in-one on the 15th hole – one to remember.

“The craziest thing was when I woke up crying in my bed on Monday morning,” Block told The Post while visiting his club, Arroyo Trabuco, this week.

“That’s when I realized that week was real, like, ‘Holy s**t, that really happened.” I woke up screaming in my bed.

“My wife was with me and she was like, ‘Oh my God,’ because she’d never seen me cry before.

“I’m not an emotional guy, but I was suddenly so emotional that week. That certainly hit a nerve I didn’t even know I had. The release was awesome.’

After Block missed the cut, Jordan texted him again saying ‘you won’t know until you try’

Unfortunately for Block, he won’t be playing this weekend at the major near him: the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

Block moved his qualifier from Southern California to Canada, as he participated in the RBC Canadian Open last week as a sponsorship waiver. However, he didn’t make it.

“It’s very disappointing not to be there because I feel like my game is really good right now where I could be there,” said Block.

“I’m not saying I could battle to finish 15th again, but I could make the type of thing and see what happens.

“I’ve played a lot of LACC and I like the golf course. US Opens are usually pretty well set up for me, which is firm and fast and Bermuda grass I’m used to.

“So I’m disappointed not to be there, but at the same time I’m so beat I don’t know if I would have had that much game. I’m disappointed, but at the same time I’m somewhat relieved that I have a few weeks to try and get back to normal.”

Block won the PGA Low Professional title, but failed to qualify for the US Open this year

But his success in Rochester – culminating in this hole-in-one – will be memorable

That “normal” feeling may never return to Block after his success in Rochester and the media frenzy that followed.

But for now, he is back on the course and has returned to his teaching style.

“I’m trying to get back to normal, but at the same time I’m a social guy, so if someone wants to come over and talk to me, I’ll talk to them, and the problem is everyone wants to talk to me,” he said.

“So just trying to walk around is really hard at the moment. It’s hard to go anywhere right now. It’s crazy.’