TEENAGE GOLF SENSATION, 15, FAST-TRACKED TO PGA TOUR AFTER BREAKING TIGER WOODS' RECORD

Fifteen-year-old golfing phenom Miles Russell will make his PGA Tour debut later this year after breaking a record set by Tiger Woods.

The high school freshman out of Jacksonville, Florida became the youngest player to ever make a cut at a Korn Ferry Tour event last week, carding rounds of 68 and 66 to play the weekend at the LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National Golf Club in Florida.

Russell shot rounds of 70 and 66 in the final two rounds to finish tied for 20th at 14-under-par, becoming the first player on record under the age of 16 to finish in the top 25 of a PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour event. Russell also earned the right to play in this week's Korn Ferry Tour event, the Veritex Bank Championship which starts at Texas Rangers Golf Club on Thursday.

But that is not the only event invite Russell has received this week. He also learned he will make his PGA Tour debut as a sponsor's exemption at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November, Russell's reward for winning the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Junior Player of the Year for 2023. In the process, Russell broke Woods' long-standing record of being the youngest player to win the award.

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“I am honored to be receiving an exemption into the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship,” Russell said. “I have dreamt of playing on the PGA Tour my entire life and to have that dream coming to fruition later this year is a feeling that I cannot describe. I am grateful to the tournament and the AJGA for their partnership that is allowing me this incredible opportunity.”

Due to his status as an amateur, Russell will not be able to earn any prize money during his tour appearances until he eventually turns professional, but the experience he will gather will certainly be invaluable as his game continues to develop.

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Russell is second in the Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings for American boys, and he is three years younger than number one William Jennings, who has committed to the University of Alabama after he graduates this year. Russell is already ranked in the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and he has also surged into the Official World Golf Ranking this week, landing in 1738th place.

Russell described his breakthrough week on the Korn Ferry Tour as "awesome" and it confirmed to him that he compete with professionals when he is at the top of his game.

He said after Sunday's final round: “When I play well, I think I can compete with some of the better pros, but this week I played well and I think it kind of showed it a little bit. But good play is always good, and definitely confidence-boosting to finish where we're going to finish today.”

2024-04-24T14:04:59Z dg43tfdfdgfd