Jay Don Blake will make his 500th start on the PGA Tour at this week’s inaugural Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah.
Blake, 65, found out in May that he received a sponsor’s exemption into the first tour stop held in his home state since 1963.
“It’s going to definitely be very exciting,” Blake told reporters Wednesday at the Black Desert Resort. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Blake grew up nearby in St. George, Utah, and starred at Utah State before turning pro in 1981 and joining the PGA Tour in 1987.
“I possibly probably stood on this same peninsula when I was a little kid,” Blake said. “Used to come up in this valley right here, and there wasn’t anything out here, just the lava rock and sagebrush and a few rabbits that I was chasing around.”
The 7,371-yard, par-71 course was the last one designed by the late Tom Weiskopf, with the construction finished in December 2022.
Blake is counting on his experience to help him keep up with the “big bombers” in the field.
“I’m excited about it, and I’m comfortable enough that I feel like maybe my knowledge can outsmart them and out-whoop those young kids,” he said.
Blake won his lone event on the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines in 1991. He added three more wins on the Champions Tour, including the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in 2011.
Blake’s highest world ranking was No. 63 in June 1992, and his best result in a major was a tie for sixth place at the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. According to Golfweek, he has more than $10 million in career earnings.
His most recent PGA Tour appearance was the 2018 Barracuda Championship and he competed in two events on the Champions Tour last season.
In addition to 500 PGA Tour starts, Blake estimated he has played another “230-something” on the Champions Tour.
“Golf has been my life. It’s a great game,” he said. “Obviously you can play at any age and still enjoy it. I’m 65, and I’ve played with guys out here that they’re 80 that they love the game. Play it at 12 years old, you can love the game. That’s the great part about golf is you can play it at any age and love it. And having that kind of a career, I’m very proud to get to the 500th.”
