The 17-year-old finishes the first round as a professional golfer

17-year-old Blades Brown of Nashville made his professional golf debut Thursday at the 2025 American Express Golf Tournament at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California.

The former Brentwood Academy standout shot an even-par 72. He had three straight birdies on the front nine and finished his round with 12 straight pars.

Brown is tied for 117th, 10 shots behind leader JT Poston. The cut occurs after the third round on Saturday and the top 65-plus ties advance to the final round on Sunday.

Blades Brown turns things around in his professional debut on the PGA Tour

Blades Brown completed his first nine holes with three consecutive pars and even completed nine holes in his professional golf debut at the PGA Tour American Express tournament

Blades Brown has three straight birdies on the front nine at American Express

Blades Brown is back on level terms in his round after three consecutive birdies on the front nine. Brown made the first birdie of his professional career on the par-4 fourth hole, then another birdie on the par-5 fifth hole and another on the par-5 sixth hole.

Blades Brown has his first birdie as a professional golfer at American Express

Blades Brown made his first birdie as a professional golfer on the par-4 fourth hole in his first round at the American Express Tournament. Brown is 2-over in the tournament. He had a bogey on the second hole and a double bogey on the third hole.

Blades Brown parries the first hole as a professional golfer at American Express

Blades Brown’s first round as a professional golfer has begun. The 17-year-old made par on the first par-4 hole at the LaQuinta Course.

Blades Brown start time, pairing in the American Express tournament

Brown will tee off with Isaiah Salinda at the LaQuinta Course on Thursday at 12:42 p.m. CT as part of a three-course rotation over the first 54 holes of the tournament.

More:Blades Brown, 17, said it all before his professional golf debut on the PGA Tour American Express

On Friday, the same pair will tee off on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament course at 12:09 a.m. CT, and on Saturday they will tee off on the Pete Dye Stadium course at 11:36 a.m. CT.

The cut comes after the completion of Saturday’s round for Sunday’s final round, which includes a best 65 plus a tie on the Pete Dye course.

Blades Brown American Express Golf Tournament Odds, Purse

Brown has a +75,000 chance to win the American Express, which is the second-worst in the tournament according to FanDuel.

However, his chances are better than those of some big names, including 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett and 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner.

The tournament’s total prize money is $8.8 million, with the winner taking home $1.584 million.

Here’s how to watch Blades Brown on American Express 2025 streaming online

The 2025 American Express will stream online with PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ Thursday through Sunday starting at 10:30 a.m. CT.

Simulcasts of Golf Channel and NBC’s television coverage will be available on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

How to watch Blades Brown, 2025 American Express on TV

Here is the American Express schedule on Golf Channel.

● Thursday, January 16: 3-6pm CT (Golf Channel)

● Friday, January 17: 3-6pm CT (Golf Channel)

● Saturday, January 18: 3-6pm CT (Golf Channel)

Why Blades Brown is making his professional golf debut at the PGA Tour American Express tournament

Brown is playing in American Express 2025 as part of a sponsor exemption. His management agency SportFive runs the tournament.

Exemptions are Brown’s key to the PGA Tour’s success in the 2025 season. The tour allows players up to seven sponsor exemptions each year. SportFive also hosts the Puerto Rico Open, Myrtle Beach Classic and the ISCO Championship.

Top 10 finishers in PGA Tour events can earn additional tournament exemptions.

How old is Blades Brown?

Brown, who attended Brentwood Academy near Nashville, is 17 years old.

Is Blades Brown a professional golfer?

Brown decided to forgo college to compete in professional tournaments for money. He’s technically a pro, but doesn’t have full-time status on the PGA Tour, meaning he can’t compete in every event.

PGA Tour Q-School is the most direct way to complete the tour full-time. Q-School is a month-long series of fall tournaments in which the top five finishers earn PGA Tour status.

More:17-year-old Blades Brown of Nashville is turning pro and will compete in the PGA Tour Amex golf tournament in 2025

It is not uncommon for European players to skip college and turn professional after high school. Most Americans choose the college route. But there could be a shift as some amateurs, like Brown and 16-year-old Miles Russell, try out for PGA Tour events with waivers.

Akshay Bhatia, at age 17 in 2019, is the youngest notable American to turn professional. He has since won the Barracuda Championship and the Valero Texas Open.

What Blades Brown and Nick Dunlap have in common

20-year-old Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap became the first amateur in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour when he captured the American Express title last year. His 29-under 259 was the event record since switching to a 72-hole format in 2016.

Brown and Dunlap’s paths have crossed. While Brown won the 2023 U.S. Amateur Stroke Play title, Dunlap went on to win the U.S. Amateur Championship, edging Neal Shipley in the final match.

Has Blades Brown played in a PGA Tour tournament?

Brown finished 26th at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May as an amateur in his first PGA Tour event. He finished at 10-under 209.

Blades Brown broke Bobby Jones’ record and equaled Tiger Woods

In 2023, Brown won the stroke play portion of the U.S. Amateur Tournament, considered the most difficult amateur tournament in the country. At age 16, he shot 8-under 64 at Colorado Golf Club, becoming the youngest medalist in U.S. Amateur history. In doing so, he broke Jones’ 103-year-old record.

Brown was the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur medalist, shooting rounds of 66-68 (134) at Oakland Hills Country Club in Detroit, joining Woods and Clampett as the only players to win at both the U.S. Junior and the United States US amateurs won medals.

More:Why Blades Brown was named the 2024 Tennessee High School Athlete of the Year

Brown won three AJGA titles in 2024, defeating Tennessee State Junior by 12 strokes. He also represented the United States on the national junior and Junior Presidents Cup teams.

In high school, he attended Brentwood Academy and won three consecutive Division II-AAA TSSAA state championships (2021-23). In 2023, he tied the TSSAA two-day scoring record for the tournament with a 14-under 130.

Who is Blades Brown’s mother Rhonda Brown?

Brown’s first name comes from his mother, Rhonda Brown, whose maiden name is Blades.

Rhonda Brown led Vanderbilt women’s basketball to its only Final Four during her career from 1991 to 1995 and was the first overall pick in the 1998 WNBA expansion draft. As a member of the New York Liberty in 1997, she made the WNBA’s first 3-pointer in league history.

More:How did 16-year-old Brentwood Academy star Blades Brown finish his PGA Tour debut?

The 17-year-old finishes the first round as a professional golfer

ByAmelia Journalton

Blades Brown turns things around in his professional debut on the PGA Tour

By Amelia Journalton

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