Nashville’s Blades Brown will forego college golf and begin playing professionally full-time in 2025, starting with the American Express Golf Tournament at La Quinta Country Club in January, he announced on social media.
Brown, 17, played in a PGA Tour event at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May. He is the No. 1-ranked junior player in the American Junior Golf Association Rolex rankings and was being pursued by the nation’s top collegiate programs.
“This is not a decision that I take lightly, and I have spent the past months weighing all possible options before deciding on what I know is best for me,” Brown posted on Instagram and on the ‘X’ platform, formerly Twitter. “While I am proud of the accomplishments of my amateur career, I am focused on the future and getting off to a strong start in my professional career. I am delighted to make my professional debut (at the American Express Golf Tournament).”
Brown starred at Brentwood Academy, winning three consecutive TSSAA golf state championships from 2021-23, before leaving school after his sophomore year to begin online classes.
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Before Tuesday’s announcement, he was already being represented by Sportfive sports marketing agency and had NIL deals with Callaway and New Jersey-based Transcend Capital Advisors.
Brown made waves in 2023 becoming the youngest medalist in U.S. Amateur history, breaking Bobby Jones’ 103-year-old record. Brown, Tiger Woods and Bobby Clampett are the only players to medal at both a U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur.
Brown won three AJGA titles last year and was named the 2024 AJGA’s Rolex Junior Player of the Year. He placed inside the top five at four out of five national junior golf events this season.
He finished third at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. Eighteen of the top 20 ranked junior players were in the field, including 2023 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell, who has also already played in PGA event.
Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Blades Brown turning pro, will play in 2025 PGA Tour Amex Golf tournament
