Think you have what it takes to be the next Michael Block? Club pro Michael Block receives PGA Tour exemption after dazzling fans at 2023 PGA Championship (yahoo.com). Stories like Block don’t happen every day, but there is another “Block Party” in the making teeing off May 23 on the Asher Tour in Reno, Nevada.
The Asher Tour
The Asher Tour is one of many regional professional golf mini tours that give aspiring pros a place to ply their trade with the hopes of making it to the big stage. HOME (ashertour.com) For the sake of illustrations consider this, the PGA Tour is the “Major Leagues” of golf. The Korn Ferry Tour is “AAA.” Way down the totem pole is the Asher Tour, single A ball. And like single A ball, there isn’t much hype around this level of the game. Far more players sink than swim out of this stage.
The biggest little city in the world
If you’re lucky, stick to roulette. If you are good, peg it in Reno. The Reno Open on the Asher Tour is a truly unique golf tournament because this event awards one player the chance to go from A ball straight to the Majors. First prize in the tournament is only eighteen thousand dollars, but the winner also receives an automatic entry into the Barracuda Championship, a PGA Tour tournament July 17-23. Reno Open - Asher Tour (bluegolf.com)
Why Golf Is The Greatest
It doesn’t matter how good the pickup game of hoops is down at your local park. Nobody out there will get to share the court with Lebron or Steph Curry. Golf is different. Go low at the right time and you are in. What is more egalitarian than that?
Life changer
Whoever wins the Reno Open will get to compete for a share of 3.8 million in prize money at the Barracuda. That number cuts to about six hundred-fifty thousand to the champion. Plus, the winner will receive valuable FedEx Cup points and a two-year exemption on Tour. Home - Barracuda Championship The odds are long for the future Reno Open champ but consider this. A top ten finish at the Barracuda will earn an invitation to play in the next regular Tour event, the 3M Open, where last year’s purse was eight million dollars. 3M Open › Welcome
Golf is hard and winning at the highest level is crazy hard. One minute you are the champion and the next you are going home early. Last year’s Reno Champ, David Longmire didn’t make the weekend. He missed the cut at the Barracuda but hasn’t given up. Longmire is still chasing the dream, back in Reno this week for another chance to win a chance.
Good luck David (@davidhartgolf) and all the TRBL MKRS out there chasing the dream. Naysayers be damned. Someone has to win. Why not you?
