There is a constant buzz around the two rising talents, Charlie Woods and Blades Brown who are conquering fields in high spirits. With one perfect swing, Charlie Woods lit up the 2024 PNC Championship, sinking his first-ever hole-in-one on the 176-yard. The ace catapulted his team into the lead. Watching it all unfold, his dad Tiger Woods couldn’t be more assured that the family legacy was in good hands. But professional golf has its fair share of hurdles. The 15-year-old, yet to qualify for the PGA Tour, already has some catching up to do.

For one thing, Blade Brown had an early professional debut and record-breaking performance at Club8-under 64 at The American Express in La Quinta Country Club, the lowest PGA Tour round by a player under 18 in the last 40 years. As one of seven sponsor exemptions, Blades Brown let his tee shots do the talking – but his drive goes beyond talent. Carving out the right career needs more than skills, so, let’s glance at Brown’s path.

Blades Brown: College or PGA Tour?

“We’re going to make sure that Blades’ going to go to the right college,” said the Nashville player about his family before it all started. On the GOLF’s Subpar podcast, Blades Brown revealed his decisive journey. It was due to the pandemic that his sister had a tough college recruitment experience. Fearing the same for their other child, Brown’s parents took him through five official visits in Tennessee, Illinois, and California.

After a mixed bag of emotions and experiences, Browns knew it was time to decide. Going through a long list of excellent colleges, he had the chance to explore several incredible colleges, from Tennessee’s golf-focused program to Stanford’s academic prestige.

“It was such a difficult decision. It took me, I don’t know how long to make up my mind because I mean, forgoing college just to go on a PGA tour? I mean, some people say college is the best part of their lives right?”, said the Nashville, Tennessee native.

The decision wasn’t easy, especially as the possibility of going professional was always on his mind. Brown weighed his options carefully with the support of his family, friends, and his agent at Sportfive. After spiraling through many brainstorms, his passion for golf made it clear—he wanted to play on the PGA Tour, living his dream and enjoying the freedom to play his favorite sports every day. “When the thought of okay you can play on the PGA tour, you can play pickleball, ping pong basketball, golf, all day long, no matter what, and play something that you love, I was like that’s a done deal,” said Brown.

Brown’s another tough opponent

Agility runs in his family with his mom, Rhonda Blades Brown setting quite an example with pickeball smackdowns. The duo often goes head-to-head in their pickleball games. So much so that the golfer at The American Express sent a quick text asking his mom to bring his pickleball gear. While Blades admits that his swift shots give him an edge, he’s not afraid to acknowledge that his mom can be intimidating on the court.

In such a short span, Brown has become a top-ranked junior. We are waiting for some thrilling matchups in the future as Charlie Woods prepares for his PGA debut. This could be the early days of a rivalry in the making!