Miles Russell is going to get his shot on the PGA Tour a bit earlier than expected.
Russell, who became the youngest player to ever make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year at just 15 years old, will make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
The tournament offered Russell one of its four sponsor’s exemptions for the event, which will kick off on June 27 at Detroit Golf Club in Michigan.
“I am thankful to Rocket Mortgage for giving me the opportunity to make my PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic,” Russell said in a statement. “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.”
Russell finished T20 at the LECOM Suncoast Classic in April, which made him the youngest player to complete a top-25 finish on either the PGA Tour or the Korn Ferry Tour since they started keeping records in 1983. Russell posted a 5-under 66 in his final round, thanks to an incredible stretch where he carded seven birdies in 10 holes.
Russell made the cut at the event when he was 15 years, five months and 17 days old — which made him the youngest to ever pull that off. Gripper Finau, who is the younger brother of PGA Tour golfer Tony Finau, held the previous mark at 16 years old. China’s Guan Tianlang holds the Tour record after he made the cut at the Masters when he was just 14 years old in 2013.
Russell earned a spot at the Suncoast Classic through a sponsor’s exemption. He is the reigning American Junior Golf Association’s Player of the Year, and he won the Junior PGA Championship last year by seven shots. The only other male golfer to win the AJGA’s Player of the Year award at 15 years old was Tiger Woods.
Russell, who will be a sophomore in high school next fall in the Jacksonville area, failed to qualify for the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year. He fell in a playoff at that event. He has earned a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Tour this fall, too, so he will get at least two starts.
“The Rocket Mortgage Classic is known as a tournament where ‘future stars start,’ and we’re thrilled to have Miles make his PGA Tour debut here and add to that legacy,” Rocket Mortgage Classic executive director Jason Langwell said in a statement. “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.”
The Rocket Mortgage Classic will be held June 27-30, between the U.S. Open and the British Open. Rickie Fowler won the tournament last year, which marked his first Tour victory in more than four years.
Source: Yahoo News
