Teen phenom Blades Brown, who was named the 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, has been given an exemption into another PGA Tour event, this time the upcoming 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Brown, who hails from Nashville, has made six Tour starts in 2025, making the cut in two of the six. He finished T-34 at the Mexico Open and ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic. He was also second at the Junior Players Championship presented by Rolex.
“Being named the 2024 AJGA Player of the Year is one of the greatest highlights of my junior golf career — a moment I’ll always carry with me,” Brown said.. “From the moment I learned I would be receiving the award, the opportunity to play in Bermuda has been at the forefront of my mind. I have heard nothing but incredible things about the tournament, the staff, the course, and the entire experience. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play golf in paradise? I’m truly grateful to the AJGA and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship for extending this invitation. It’s an honor to compete in 2025, and I sincerely hope it won’t be my last time teeing it up in Bermuda.”
Brown, now 18 after turning professional at 17, received full Korn Ferry Tour status for 2026 after playing his rookie season with temporary status on the Korn Ferry Tour, a primary pathway to the PGA Tour, where a top-20 finish on the points list gives players full-time PGA status.
Either way, Brown’s performance on the Korn Ferry Tour as a rookie keeps him on track to play a full professional schedule in 2026.
Brown opened the recent Compliance Solutions Championship in Owasso, Oklahoma — part of the Korn Ferry Tour finals — with rounds of 66 and 60. His 60 was a career-best. He finished 15-under 269 to tie for 43rd, securing his top-75 spot on the points list.
Overall, Brown made 9-of-14 cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, earning $$136,787, two top-5 finishes and a top-10. He finished T-18 at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in Indiana last week and was runner-up at the Veritex Bank Championship in April, shooting a 27-under 257 total.
“We’re incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the AJGA and to welcome Blades Brown to Bermuda,” said Danielle Carrera, Tournament Director of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. “Blades represents everything this exemption is meant to highlight — exceptional talent, dedication, and maturity beyond his years. His rapid rise through the ranks is inspiring, and we’re thrilled that Bermuda will be part of his journey. Fans can look forward to watching one of golf’s brightest young stars compete on one of the most breathtaking stages in the sport.”
Tyler Palmateer of the Nashville Tennessean contributed to this report.
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