Eighteen-year-old Nashville golfer Blades Brown finished tied for 18th at the PGA Tour's American Express tournament, marking his best career result despite a challenging final round. Playing alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Brown ended at 19-under par after shooting a 2-over 74 on January 25 at La Quinta Country Club in California. Scheffler claimed victory at 27-under, four shots ahead of the field.
Blades Brown, an 18-year-old professional from Nashville, Tennessee, entered the final round of The American Express one shot behind leader Si Woo Kim, tied with Scottie Scheffler at 21-under par. The trio teed off together at 12:35 p.m. CT on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. Brown, competing on a sponsor's exemption without a full PGA Tour card, had nearly shot a 59 in the second round but settled for a course-record 60—the lowest round by an 18-year-old on the PGA Tour in 43 years.
His final round began promisingly at 1-under through four holes, but a double bogey on the par-5 fifth hole disrupted his momentum on a course yielding low scores. Additional bogeys, including on the 18th, led to a 2-over 74, finishing at 19-under for the week and tying for 18th place. This result capped eight straight days of competitive golf for Brown, following a T-17 in a Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas that ended January 21.
Scheffler, the world No. 1, pulled away for a four-shot win at 27-under, ahead of Jason Day, Ryan Gerard, Matt McCarty, and Andrew Putnam. Brown's performance missed a top-10 finish, which would have earned him a spot in next week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
Brown turned pro at 17 in 2024, skipping college despite offers from top programs. In 2023, at age 16, he became the youngest medalist in U.S. Amateur history, breaking Bobby Jones' 103-year record with an 8-under 64. He also medaled in the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur, joining Tiger Woods and Bobby Clampett as the only players to achieve both. His mother, Rhonda (Blades) Brown, is a former Vanderbilt basketball star and WNBA pioneer who made the league's first 3-pointer in 1997.
Brown's caddie is Brett Swedberg. He has earned $81,884 in nine PGA Tour starts, making four cuts, and $150,370 on the Korn Ferry Tour. Endorsements with Callaway, TravisMathew, FloQast, and Transcend Capital Advisors boost his net worth beyond $1 million.
