Miles Russell, who recently made history as the youngest player to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour at 15, is set to make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic later this month.
Russell, the reigning American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year, has already achieved remarkable milestones. He finished tied for 20th at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic on April 21, setting a record as the youngest player since at least 1983 to finish in the top 25 in a Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour event.
Thanks to one of four sponsor’s exemptions, Russell will now have his chance to compete against some of the best golfers in the world from June 27-30 at Detroit Golf Club. ‘The Rocket Mortgage Classic is known as a tournament where future stars start,’ stated tournament director Jason Langwell. ‘We’re thrilled to have Miles make his PGA Tour debut here and add to that legacy. He has proved with his many accomplishments at such a young age that he belongs, and we are excited to see Miles compete alongside the world’s best golfers here at Detroit Golf Club.’
On Twitter, the Rocket Mortgage Classic welcomed Russell with a post: ‘Welcome to the @PGATOUR, Miles Russell! 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.’
Russell will be among other teenage golf phenoms like Kris Kim (16) and Blades Brown (16), who have also made their PGA Tour debuts this season. Kim made headlines by making the cut at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May.
Expressing his gratitude, Russell said, ‘I am thankful to Rocket Mortgage for giving me the opportunity to make my PGA Tour debut. 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, and I’m looking forward to making the most of the experience later this month.’
Although Russell previously missed qualifying for a PGA Tour event after losing in a playoff for a spot in the Puerto Rico Open, his achievements in junior golf are impressive. The left-hander from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, won the Junior PGA Championship by 7 shots and became the youngest winner of the Junior Players Championship. He even clinched the AJGA Player of the Year award at a younger age than Tiger Woods.
It’s worth noting that China’s Guan Tianlang holds the record as the youngest to make the cut in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event, achieving that feat at the age of 14 during the 2013 Masters as the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion.
Russell’s debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic will be a significant milestone in his budding career, and golf enthusiasts will be eager to see how this young talent measures up against seasoned professionals.
