Miles Russell, a 17-year-old amateur from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, qualified for his first major championship on June 8 after advancing through a playoff at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The PGA TOUR confirmed that Russell will compete in the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, June 18–21.

Russell came through a 3-for-2 sudden-death playoff for the final qualifying spots at BallenIsles’s East Course, one of 10 final qualifying sites across the United States and Canada on the day known as Golf’s Longest Day. The 36-hole qualifier pits dozens of players against each other for a handful of places in the U.S. Open field, and Russell’s path included overcoming an early triple bogey before steadying himself to force extra holes.

Charlie Woods on the Bag

Russell’s caddie for the qualifier was Charlie Woods, his close friend and future college teammate. Both are verbally committed to Florida State for 2027. The PGA TOUR’s qualifying roundup said Woods helped Russell navigate the playoff, which also advanced amateur Ryder Cowan to Shinnecock Hills. Amateur Giuseppe Puebla and PGA TOUR veteran Ben Silverman led the BallenIsles site as co-medalists.

Russell was among 78 golfers teeing off at BallenIsles, a field that included Matt Kuchar, Luke Clanton, and Matthieu Pavon.

From Junior Star to Major Championship Debutant

Russell enters the U.S. Open with a résumé that extends beyond junior golf. He is the highest-ranked junior in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and the 10th-ranked amateur overall. In 2023, he became the youngest winner of the AJGA’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year award, surpassing Tiger Woods. He also won both the Junior PGA Championship and the Junior Players Championship.

At 15, Russell made history on the Korn Ferry Tour by becoming the youngest player on record to make a cut, at 15 years, 5 months, and 18 days. He went on to finish T20 at the 2024 LECOM Suncoast Classic, the youngest player since 1983 to record a top-25 finish on the PGA TOUR or Korn Ferry Tour.

“I just try to kind of go with flow and take it as it comes to me, and I’m trying to just stay cool,” Russell said after an earlier professional start. “I was able to hit some good shots in the right moments.”

What’s Next

Russell will make his major championship debut at Shinnecock Hills, which has hosted five previous U.S. Opens. The championship runs June 18–21, with the field now nearly set following the completion of final qualifying.

Hero image: PA Wire