Even though the 18-year-old didn’t win the American Express 2026, he got people to watch and talk about him. He pushed World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and got a front-row seat to see greatness. That experience was pure gold for Blades Brown.
“Getting to play with Scottie Scheffler in the final group at 18 years old is—I had to pinch myself a couple of times just to make sure this was real,” Brown said after Sunday’s final round. “Not the Sunday that I would have liked, but I overall had so much fun playing the American Express this week.”
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“One of the coolest things that I learned today was how underrated Scottie Scheffler’s short game is,” Brown explained to the media. “To see it in person and just to look at kind of the trajectory and the spin, and just the control that he has with his wedges and short game. Obviously, his putting is insane, too. It was really cool to watch. So I’m definitely going to go work on that.”
Brown had an amazing week at PGA West. He shot a course-record 60 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course on Friday, tying him with Scheffler at 17-under after 36 holes, making Brown the youngest player to have a lead or co-lead after any round on the PGA Tour since Ty Tryon at the 2001 B.C. Open. But Saturday delivered more drama.
Image Courtesy: Blades Brown, Instagram
Brown shot a 68 in windy conditions, birdieing his last three holes to make it into the final pairing. He was one shot behind Si Woo Kim and one shot ahead of Scheffler when he started on Sunday. But Blades Brown struggled in Round 4, finishing with a 74 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. A double bogey on the par-5 5th hole set the tone, and even though he made a birdie on 13, a few late bogeys kept him over par. The last round knocked him out of the running.
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Scheffler didn’t just theorize about young talent; he gave Brown a direct compliment. “It sounds like an 18-year-old shooting 59 is a pretty good start to his career there,” Scottie said of Brown’s record-breaking round. Coming from the World No.1, that acknowledgment validated everything the young golfer accomplished that week.
While Brown credited the fun of competition and his own growth in confidence, Scheffler’s influence loomed large.
Scottie Scheffler’s dominance at this event, which ended with a four-stroke win, showed Brown what he should be aiming for. Scheffler’s comments about younger players are in line with that: today’s young players know what it takes to score in professional golf and deal with stress better than older players do. That POV helps explain why a teenager can compete at this level.
Blades Brown’s confidence from the week translated into clear takeaways.
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What Blades Brown took away from his week
Even though Brown shot a 74 on Sunday, he left with a lot of confidence. He finished tied for 18th at 19-under, which was not in the top 10, but it showed he belongs. When asked if the week made him more sure of himself, he said right away, “Absolutely.” He knows he needs to work on some things, but now he knows what great looks like up close.
The fifth hole, which was a par-5, tested his mental game. He hit the ball into the water with a pulled tee shot, and his attempt to carry the hazard from a closer drop fell short. Two over par. In a flash, five shots behind Scheffler. Blades Brown didn’t make a birdie for 11 holes after that and added two more bogeys as the pressure grew.
However, Brown kept perspective. He joked that he could write a book about everything he learned in those four days. Brown saw how high the bar was when the 4x Major Champion made four birdies in six holes to build an insurmountable lead. Scheffler won by four shots, finishing at 27-under. Brown watched every wedge, every putt, and every choice.
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What mattered most was Scheffler’s support during the round. The best player in the world spoke with him often and offered him words of support when things got tough. That approval meant everything to an 18-year-old who was playing in his 10th PGA Tour event. Brown didn’t just compete; he earned respect.
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