Who is Miles Russell? Know all about the 15-year-old amateur making his first-ever Korn Ferry Tour start
Miles Russell, the 15-year-old high school freshman, is the world’s highest-ranked junior golfer. Miles’s performance at the LECOM Suncoast Classic was impressive, as he surpassed his competitors easily.
Miles Russell will debut in PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, the Korn Ferry Tour, this week on a sponsorship, distanced only four hours from his hometown of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He has demonstrated potential and technique throughout several major junior golf events.
Russell overtook Tiger Woods last fall as the youngest AJGA Boys Junior Player of the Year, and almost qualified for the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open last month.
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“I don’t know what to expect, but I’d love to make the cut and who knows, maybe have a good weekend and see where it puts me,” Russell said Tuesday when he played a practice round with Roberto Diaz, Sam Saunders, and Rob Oppenheim as quoted by PGA Tour.com.
Miles Russell and his passion for golf
Miles’s father and grandfather introduced him to golf when he was two years old. They took him on the course, finishing a bucket of balls in three minutes, which got him intrigued.
Russell also enjoyed playing baseball and soccer in his growing years but ultimately chose to focus on golf. He watched THE PLAYERS Championship when he was two years old at TPC Sawgrass, which is about ten minutes away from his hometown. He has been a fan every year since.
“I’ve always wanted to be able to do it, To have the chance to do it would be even cooler, and then to be able to do it would be awesome. I think it would just be cool to do something I love, and there’s not much more I love than this,” said Russell as quoted by PGA Tour.com.
Ramon Bescansa has been Russell’s instructor for over eight years now. Bescansa is a former Korn Ferry Tour member and will caddie for his student in his debut performance at the Korn Ferry Tour.
Bescansa mentioned that the main focus of his coaching is on the tempo and synchronisation, as Miles’s body continues to develop or change with time and he keeps hitting farther every time.
“He was already incredible when I first started working with him, He had a golf IQ that’s not normal for such a young age. It’s been so much fun. I was able to not only help him with his swing, but teaching him how to play golf, play all the shots; he already had a huge understanding and he was like a sponge, a lot of teaching was done with him and a club, and try to do it,” Bescansa said of Russell as quoted by PGA tour.com.
A 16-year-old Jordan Speith also made his T16 finish at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in 2010 and a 17-year-old Scottie Scheffler made his T22 finish at the same event four years later. Similarly, Russell hopes to have an identical experience in Florida this week, as the youthful enthusiasm shines through time in golf.