By Field Level Media
Oct 04 (Field Level Media) – Michael Block needed only 30 shots on the back nine and posted a bogey-free 7-under 63 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic in Allentown, Pa.
Block, a 50-year-old PGA Tour Champions rookie, stands at 11 under through 36 holes. That puts him one ahead of New Zealand’s Steven Alker and two ahead of first-round co-leader Richard Green of Australia.
Block, who continues to serve as the head golf professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., gained a following with a tie for 15th place at the 2023 PGA Championship.
Block, who shot a 4-under par 66 on Friday, opened with back-to-back birdies on Saturday. He parred the last seven holes on the front nine, then birdied five of the first seven holes coming in.
He is highly appreciative of the welcome he has received on the tour.
“So the support I have from the fellow Champions Tour players is amazing,” Block said. “The relationships I’ve gotten in six events/seven, is crazy, and I really appreciate those guys. These guys have been living the Tour life, the PGA Tour life and Champions Tour life for, you know, 20-30 years, and I’m just out here — and they know my scenario. I’m out here as a club pro, and being out here for my seventh event in my life, and they really support me, which is really cool. Trust me, it helps a lot.”
In Block’s fifth Champions start at The Ally Challenge five weeks ago, he also held the lead after 36 holes. But he was passed by Alker during the final round and ended up tied for third.
What did Block learn from that experience?
“Yeah, from Ally, just keep being you,” he said. “Like, don’t try to be the quiet Michael. Quiet Michael doesn’t work. Michael having fun works. Michael being quiet, Michael trying to be somebody he’s not doesn’t work. That’s what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
In contrast to Block, who’s happy just to be on the verge of qualifying for the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs, Alker has won three times in 2026, owns 13 PGA Tour Champions titles and ranks No. 3 on the Schwab Cup money list.
The 55-year-old has posted matching 65s and, like Block, played bogey-free golf on Saturday. He shot 31 on the inward half and played the par-3’s in 2-under.
Alker is well aware the gallery will be flocking to Block on Sunday.
“He’s got a great following and I think the crowds will be good tomorrow and want him to do well,” Alker said. “He’s a bit different, he likes to talk about things. It’s fun. I kind of like watching him play a little bit, see how he goes about the game. Not that I’ll take a whole lot of it forward, but I just like watching him play and how he goes about his game.
“He’s got game, I’ve got to bring it tomorrow.”
Ryan Armour fired a 64 to move into fourth at 8-under. Tag Ridings (65), South Korea’s Y.E. Yang (69) and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson (69) share fifth at 7-under. Yang and Karlsson joined Green atop the leaderboard after the first round.
(–Field Level Media)
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