Blades Brown, the 18-year-old, just turned millions of heads when he tied with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at The American Express 2026. He became the youngest golfer on the Tour to shoot 60. So, naturally, the spotlight should be on him. Yet the Golf Channel barely showed him on TV, and it had the fandom fuming.
During their broadcast, The Golf Channel kept the cameras on other golfers instead of showing Brown’s historic run. People watching from their homes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The teen who just set the course record at the Nicklaus Tournament course was being pushed aside for players who weren’t even in the running.
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Brown’s play on Friday was nothing short of amazing. He made six birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes, going out in 28, and then added four more birdies in his first six holes on his second nine (the front side) and then had a 15-foot attempt at a 59 on the par-4 9th, but it just stayed out and to the right. Had he made the last putt, he would have birdied and become the youngest golfer to shoot 59.
“I just really like this golf course,” Brown said afterwards. “There’s something about the Nicklaus Course that I just really like. Like, it’s so money. It’s so pure. Everything is just perfectly well-kept. I love playing with no wind. So, when you put all those things together, it’s fun.”
Brown’s historic performance came just days after flying across the country in a private jet from a Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas. He had just finished the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour two days before, where he tied for 17th place. Now, he is set to play his seventh and eighth straight rounds on Saturday, and he couldn’t be more excited.
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“I love what I do. I love to play golf,” Brown said. “You’re telling me I get to play, hopefully, eight straight competitive golf rounds, one being on the Korn Ferry Tour and the other one on the PGA Tour? Like what’s not to love about that?”
Even with all of this, the Golf Channel hardly talked about him. For four minutes, cameras stayed focused on Lee’s drop while Brown chased 59. The performance was so good that even Scottie Scheffler praised the young golfer.
“If you want to make a name for yourself, you’ve got to put up some good scores…an 18-year-old shooting 59 is a pretty good start to his career there,” said the 29-year-old.
It seemed like the broadcast was ignoring the most important story of the tournament. The lack of airtime took a toll on golf fans.
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Fans react strongly to missing the Blades Brown AmEx show.
One viewer captured the broadcasting failure everyone was discussing. “Blades Brown, an 18-year-old high school student, is tied with the #1 player in the world, Scottie Scheffler, but @GolfChannel prefers to keep showing Min Woo Lee and Billy Horschel (boring) instead…
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Lee opened with a spectacular 10-under 62 but cooled to a 1-under 71 in Round 2. Meanwhile, Horschel sits at 11 under through two rounds. Both were far behind the Blades Brown.
Another fan called out the timing during a potential historic milestone. “PGA coverage showing Min Woo Lee take a drop for 4 minutes while Blades Brown is on 59 watch doesn’t even surprise me at this point.” Brown came within one stroke of shooting 59, which would have been only the 13th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, yet viewers watched routine drops instead.
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The frustration grew as the round continued without Brown on screen. “The lack of Blades Brown coverage by @GolfChannel right now is brutal! How are you not showing every moment of this #59Watch #BladesBrown?” Fans were witnessing history unfold, but the broadcast seemed oblivious.
Then came just two words that perfectly captured the whole mishap: “Absolutely pathetic.” It reflected the disbelief and the disappointment.
One viewer questioned the network’s priorities. “Hey @PGATOUR & @GolfChannel, you have a huge opportunity to promote the game of golf with Blades Brown, but you’re not showing him at all on the broadcast today. He’s currently in 4th place. Instead, I’m stuck watching Min Woo Lee, who is 8 shots behind. What’s going on?” Golf needs young stars to attract new audiences, and Brown’s story was tailor-made for growing the game.
The teenager delivered a historic performance. The broadcast missed it. Now, fans are left wondering what other moments they’ll overlook next. Or will this be a lesson for the Golf Channel?
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The post Viewers Hated Golf Channel’s Coverage of Historic Blades Brown Round & for a Good Reason appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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