Charlie Woods’s dreams of a PGA Tour debut were shattered, but someone else’s is getting accomplished! Fifteen-year-old golfer Miles Russell received a sponsor exemption to play in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. This will mark the young golfer’s PGA Tour debut. Notably, Russell is the youngest player in Korn Ferry Tour history to make a cut, achieving a 5-under 66 in April at the Lecom Suncoast Classic in Longwood, Florida, to qualify on the PGA Tour’s developmental circuit.
Russell will join the likes of Rickie Fowler, who is preparing to defend his Rocket Mortgage Classic title at the Detroit Golf Club, and other prominent golfers. With Russell’s status as the 2023 American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year, all eyes will undoubtedly be on him. It will be intriguing to see how this young talent performs alongside seasoned veterans, but meanwhile, he has garnered a lot of admiration from the golf community.
After the PGA Tour welcomed this 15-year-old prodigy, he expressed his excitement, stating, “Ever since I first started playing golf, my dream has been to compete on the PGA Tour and test my game against the best players.” His desire to play on Jay Monahan’s circuit has come true, and he shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming tournament, saying, “I’m looking forward to making the most of the experience later this month.”
The tournament is scheduled from June 27 to June 30. NUCLRGOLF shared the good news on X, “JUST IN: 15-year-old high schooler Miles Russell is making his PGA TOUR debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic after receiving a sponsor’s exemption.” Additionally, Russell’s passion for professional golf is further evident as he is also attempting to qualify for the US Open in Durham, NC. He opened the first round with 2 under 68. Let us see some of the things fans have to say about the young prodigy.
🚨👀⛳️ JUST IN: 15 year old high schooler Miles Russell is making his PGA TOUR debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic after receiving a sponsors exemption. Russell had a top 20 finish at a Korn Ferry event several weeks back. pic.twitter.com/T3EkgQaJ2P
“Congratulations” were in order for the young star as people started appreciating him. The golf world also noted how “amazing” it is to achieve this feat at such an early age. Russell is currently ranked at number 1 in the Rolex AJGA rankings. He has played in 8 events on the AJGA circuit so far and has won two: the Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex and the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship, both in 2023.
Although his journey is just beginning, many also wished him good luck, with comments like “Let’s go! Good luck, Miles!” His best finish so far this year has been T6 at the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. With such a good score, he will definitely be able to go head-to-head with seasoned pros.
While many appreciated Russell’s accomplishment, some fans had different thoughts, particularly about Charlie Woods, with one commenting, “Charlie Woods in shambles seeing this.” Woods Jr. hoped to make his PGA Tour debut at the Cognizant Classic this year but failed to do so. He was unable to advance from the pre-qualifying event. He carded 16 over 86. Woods Jr. fell short not once but twice. He also aimed for the US Open in April, but unfortunately, he did not succeed.
Additionally, some believe that “it’s go time,” emphasizing that this might be the moment for the young prodigy to begin his journey. Earlier in 2024, Russell was the only amateur to advance to the final Monday Qualifier for the Puerto Rico Open but he unfortunately fell short in a playoff. He carded an incredible 5 under 67, but this time, he will finally be playing on the greens with Tour pros. Things certainly look promising, as he is already securing sponsorships from brands like TaylorMade.
TaylorMade signs Miles Russell to NIL agreement
Following his impressive performance at the Korn Ferry in April, TaylorMade announced an NIL agreement with reigning AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year Miles Russell, adding him to its esteemed roster of junior, collegiate, and professional golfers. As a result, the 15-year-old golfer now exclusively uses a full set of TaylorMade equipment, comprising the Qi10 LS driver, TP5x golf ball, and P·Series irons.
Talking about the deal, the 15-year-old said, “I have had a great relationship with the team at TaylorMade for years now and couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with them in the future. TaylorMade has a history of developing the top junior talent in the world to help reach their goals of becoming PGA TOUR and major championship winners. I am looking forward to working with the team to reach those and other goals I have laid out for my career.”
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Renowned for its forgiveness and distance-enhancing features, the Qi10 LS driver could be the ideal choice for Russell, especially when paired with the precision and performance of the P·Series irons. With the attention of the world and the best gear in tow, Miles Russell looks poised to take the gold world by storm in the coming days.
What are your thoughts on Miles Russell and his performance? Do you think Charlie Woods should be worried? Share your opinions in the comments section below!
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Naman Kumar is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports. An expert in analytical pieces, he never fails to awe his readers with his niche coverage of big names—like his idol, Phil Mickelson—in the sport. Naman is also adept at predictability pieces, where he explores the immediate future of players, be it through where they’ll play next or whether injuries will cause them to withdraw from an event.
EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America’s favorite sports celebrities with a fan’s perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers.