Miles Russell, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, is set to make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic later this month, thanks to a sponsor exemption. This opportunity will make him one of the youngest players ever to compete on the PGA Tour.
Russell, who made history by making the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event, expressed his excitement and gratitude in a statement on Monday. “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. I’m looking forward to making the most of the experience later this month,” he said.
Acknowledging the support of the tournament’s title sponsor, Russell added that he was thankful for the opportunity to debut at golf’s highest level. This chance marks a significant step in an already impressive career. Last year, Russell became the youngest boy to earn Player of the Year recognition from the American Junior Golf Association, surpassing a record set by Tiger Woods over three decades ago.
In April, Russell set a new record on the Korn Ferry Tour during the Suncoast Classic in his home state. He opened with rounds of 68 and 66, becoming the youngest player to make a cut on that circuit, breaking a record previously held by Gipper Finau, the younger brother of PGA Tour standout Tony Finau.
While Russell won’t be the youngest to tee off on the PGA Tour—a record held by Michelle Wie West, who competed at 14 years and 3 months old—he joins a notable list of young golf talents. The youngest boy to play in a PGA Tour event was Guan Tianlang, who competed at the 2013 Masters at age 14 and made the cut. Other young debutants include Andy Zhang, Lorens Chan, John Oda, Tadd Fujikawa, and Bob Panasik.
Russell, who finished tied for 20th at the Korn Ferry event, aims to become the youngest PGA Tour player to make a cut since Guan at the 2013 Zurich Classic. Recently, 16-year-olds Kris Kim and Blades Brown made cuts on the tour, highlighting the rise of young talent in the sport.
Casey Hurbis, a Rocket Mortgage executive, praised Russell, saying, “Miles exemplifies the future of golf, and our tournament is the perfect stage for young talent to shine.”
In addition to the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Russell has accepted a sponsor exemption to play in the Bermuda Championship in November. Although he recently fell short of qualifying for this year’s U.S. Open, shooting even par over two rounds, his performance surpassed that of established players like Harold Varner III and Russell Knox.
Welcome to the @PGATOUR, Miles Russell!
— Rocket Mortgage Classic (@RocketClassic) June 3, 2024
The youngest player to ever make a cut on the @KornFerryTour is bringing his talents to Detroit for his PGA TOUR debut at the #RocketMortgageClassic. pic.twitter.com/PxYVyRz8nT