Legends Tour issues scathing statement on Michael Block to put record straight

Sam FrostMon, August 10, 2026 at 12:14 PM UTC

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Michael Block had a day to forget at Trump International Aberdeen -Credit:Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images

The Legends Tour has given its side of the story after Michael Block was disqualified from the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.

Block, who shot to fame with his heroics as a club pro in the 2023 PGA Championship, vehemently denied claims that he walked off the course during Sunday's final round at Trump International in Aberdeen, Scotland, without talking to his playing partners or tournament officials.

But the tour insists California native Block, who blamed a wrist injury for his withdrawal, failed to "complete the necessary process" to be classified as retired from the tournament, meaning he was DQ'd. Block, who was 11 over par when he gave up, said in an interview that a report claiming he quit due to conditions at the Donald Trump course was "absurd."

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Earlier in the day, Block was given a two-stroke penalty for turning up late for his tee time. The 50-year-old admitted it was "completely his fault," and blamed his tardiness on "taking pictures for volunteers."

The tour, however, said Block mistakenly thought his tee time was 11 minutes later.

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"Michael Block has been disqualified from the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship after failing to complete his final round," the Legends Tour said in a statement.

"During the final round of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, Michael Block left the course before completing his round and without completing the necessary process of advising Tour officials of any injury or illness.

Block said he withdrew due to a wrist injury, but the tour said he failed to follow due process -Credit:Getty Images

"As a result, the official listing has been recorded as 'disqualified' rather than 'retired'. Under Rule 3.3c, the player is disqualified for failure to hole out under this rule.

"Michael Block was also assessed a two-shot penalty – added to his first hole score – for arriving late to his tee time. Block mistakenly believed his tee time was 08:33 a.m. as opposed to his allotted 08:22 a.m., causing him to be late."

Block, who was playing as a sponsor's exemption, gave his perspective in an interview via text with Golf Digest. He 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.

“A gentleman with a European Tour jacket arrives a couple of minutes later and I tell him that I’m withdrawing. Once I arrive to the clubhouse, I walked into the championship office to thank them for the week but no one was there but thought nothing of it, thinking that I had withdrawn correctly, but I guess the gentleman that gave me the ride was not an official so I was DQ’d, rather than a WD.

“To hear these accusations that I just walked off the course and that I was upset about the course conditions is absurd.”

On his injury, he added: “Tweaked my already weak left wrist on 10th hole hitting out of a bush. Went into the brush again a couple of holes later and didn’t want to injure it more. I was completely out of the tournament and I didn’t feel it was smart to keep going at that point.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”