15-year-old Miles Russell shoots 3-under 68 on Korn Ferry Tour
18 Apr 2024
by Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Miles Russell Rankings
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Miles Russell shot a 68 in the LECOM Suncoast Classic (AJGA Photo)
It would have been a fair assumption to think 15-year-old
Miles Russell would get off to a slow start in the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic. Instead, Russell made four birdies in his first five holes at Lakewood Ranch en route to an opening round of 3-under-par 68.
The opening nine score of 31 seems like a sign of things to come from the immensely talented high school freshman.
Before the round, Russell, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, was confident and hopeful.
"Hopefully, I play well, and I can see how my game stacks up against the best," Russell said.
It stacks up quite nicely.
Russell started his round on the tenth hole and notched birdies on hole Nos. 10, 12, 13, 14. He'd card one more birdie on the day at the par-4 fourth hole. The 2023 AGJA Player of the Year would make just two bogeys, both on his back nine.
Over the course of the round, Russell hit 11 greens in regulation. He showed off his short game, scrambling for par six out of the seven times he missed the green. He drove the ball well, hitting nine of 13 fairways.
While the field is wrapping up the first round, Russell is currently T31 and is well within his rights to wake up tomorrow with the expectation to make the cut, something he hoped he would be able to do earlier in the week.
"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 told the PGA Tour this week.
Russell’s 2023 highlights:
- First-Team Rolex Junior All-American
- Won the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship
- Won the Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex
- Won the TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star
- Won the Moon Golf Junior All-Star
- Runner-up, Team TaylorMade Invitational
- T3, Scott Robertson Memorial
- Member of the AJGA Junior All-Star Team
- Member of the United States Junior Ryder Cup Team
- Member of the Wyndham Cup East Team