Michael Block disqualified from prestigious senior golf tournament

Michael Block was disqualified from the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship on Sunday. 

The 50-year-old American was playing the event at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen on a sponsor's invite. 

He made the cut after posting rounds 76-73 but was well down the leaderboard after carding a 6-over 78 on Saturday. 

According to American golf journalist Ryan French -  better known as MondayQInfo on X - Block turned up late for his final round tee time. 

That saw him hit with a two-shot penalty and he reportedly was disqualified after he walked off the course after making a bogey on the 12th hole.

Block reportedly did not say a word to his playing partners before making his exit. 

It's understood he was "frustrated" with the playing conditions and had made his feelings known across the week. 

French posted:

"According to multiple people I spoke with Michael Block walked off the course in the Senior European Tour event after the 12th hole today in the final round of the PGA Seniors.

"According to the multiple people I spoke with, the word in the locker room was he didn't say anything to his playing partners. 

"Multiple people said it was known Block was frustrated with the course conditions. 

"This morning he showed up to his tee time late and was given a two-stroke penalty. He shot an opening nine of 43 and after a bogey on 12, he walked in. 

"On the leaderboard he is listed as a DQ. He was in the field on a sponsors exemption."

South Africa's Darren Fichardt won the 2026 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship. 

The 51-year-old finished on 12-under par, five strokes clear of Sweden's Mikael Lundberg. 

Former European Ryder Cup hero, Jamie Donaldson, finished solo third. Former U.S. Open champion, Michael Campbell, also finished inside the top-10.

Block is an American PGA professional and long-time club pro who became one of the sport's most unlikely stars after making a remarkable run at the 2023 PGA Championship held at Oak Hills Country Club. 

Aged 46 at the time, Block was the only club professional to make the cut and entered the final round in contention. 

He played the final round alongside two-time Masters champion, Rory McIlroy, and made a memorable hole-in-one at the par-3 15th, sending the crowd into a frenzy. 

Block has remained a popular figure in the game ever since, playing multiple events on the PGA Tour and appearing in several YouTube videos. 

He made his PGA Tour Champions debut earlier in the season.

On Sunday evening, Block took to Instagram to issue a statement where he claimed there was come confusion over his exit. 

He disputed French's account and claimed he wasn't disqualified and walked off the course with an injury. 

"Yes, I was a couple of seconds late to my tee time," he wrote. "Got caught up taking pictures for volunteers. 

"First time in my career and completely my fault."

He added: "Yes, I did tell my playing partners that I was withdrawing. I strongly recommend social media accounts from reporting false information."

In a separate statement to Golf Digest, Block said: "I withdrew mid-round. 

"Thanked my playing partners, their caddies, the spectators and the walking scorer. 

"Handed the scorecard I was keeping to the other player. Asked the scorekeeper to call an official for a ride in.