Blades Brown is a leader in the weekend of the 2026 The American Express, the PGA Tour's first event of the year in the mainland United States. After shooting 60 in the second round, Brown catapulted into contention with Scottie Scheffler.
Brown is 18 years old, and he is in the field at The American Express because was invited to compete in the event.
For Brown, his journey to the PGA Tour is a remarkable story.
Brown was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He turned pro before he ever played college golf, doing so as a teeanger at the age of 17.
Brown is hitting his prime
Blades Brown has been successful at every level, including as an amateur and after he turned pro in 2025.
In 2023, Brown, at the age of 16, broke Bobby Jones' 103-year record of being the youngest medalist in the history of the US Amateur, which dates back to 1895.
Brown managed to earn Korn Ferry Tour full status in 2026 after playing throughout the season on 2025 while trying to earn PGA Tour status and taking advantage of playing opportunities and his performance on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Entering this week, Brown was not yet ranked in FedEx Cup points and ranked 485th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He earned his way into this event with an exemption.
In his personal life, Brown is single.
What a win at the The American Express means
With a win in this event, Brown would earn the benefits of being a PGA Tour winner, including a two-year PGA Tour exemption, and he would gain berths into the 2026 Masters and 2026 PGA Championship. And, according to the 2026 The American Express payout, he would win $1.656 million to top it all off.
