Miles Russell, 17, Lets Father Caddie 18th U.S. Open Hole After Making Cut

Q: After his historic U.S. Open, will teen phenom Miles Russell choose a college career or turn professional?

Miles Russell is set to choose the college route, not turn professional now. Everything in the available reporting points to Florida State as his next step. Russell is still a high school player and is committed to play college golf at Florida State in 2027, where he is expected to be teammates with Charlie Woods. None of the reporting around his U.S. Open breakthrough indicates a change in that plan. His performance at Shinnecock Hills only strengthens the case that he has time on his side. At 17, he became the youngest player in the 2026 U.S. Open field to make the cut and the second-youngest since World War II to do so, finishing tied for 43rd after an even-par final round. He also already owns other major junior milestones, including becoming the youngest player to make a Korn Ferry Tour cut in 2024. That résumé makes him a serious long-term professional prospect, but the evidence suggests he is staying on the amateur path for now. He is highly ranked, widely praised by established players such as Padraig Harrington, and positioned to develop further in college golf before making any pro decision. So after his historic U.S. Open, the clearest answer is that Russell remains on track for a college career at Florida State rather than an immediate move to the professional ranks.

Q: Beyond the Father's Day gesture, how has his family shaped the rapid rise of golf's newest 17-year-old star?

Miles Russell’s rise has been heavily shaped by a hands-on family foundation, especially from his father, Joe, who introduced him to golf almost as soon as he could walk and has remained a steady presence through his development. Russell began going to the driving range with his father at age 2, giving him an unusually early start in the game. That early exposure matters in golf, where repetition, comfort around the sport and long-term skill building often begin years before elite results show up. By his mid-teens, Russell had already turned that base into major milestones, including becoming the youngest player to win the Boys Junior PGA Championship in 2023 and the youngest to make a Korn Ferry Tour cut in 2024. The family’s role also appears in the less visible work behind a junior star’s ascent. Junior golf typically demands extensive parental commitment — travel, tournament logistics, financial support and emotional stability through setbacks and breakthroughs. Russell’s path, from top junior events to U.S. Open qualifying, reflects that kind of sustained backing. The Father’s Day moment at Shinnecock was powerful precisely because it fit a longer story. Joe Russell was not just a symbolic figure on the 18th hole; he has been part of Miles’s golf life from the beginning. That continuity helps explain how Russell, now the No. 1 AJGA player and one of the world’s top amateurs, has advanced so quickly while staying composed on some of the game’s biggest stages.

Q: With Charlie Woods as his caddie and teammate, are we seeing the start of golf's next legendary partnership?

It is too early to call Miles Russell and Charlie Woods golf’s next legendary partnership, but the ingredients for a significant one are clearly there. The strongest evidence is Russell, not the pairing itself. At 17, he made the cut at the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, finished T43 at 7-over, and reinforced a résumé that already includes becoming the youngest player to make a Korn Ferry Tour cut in 2024 and the youngest winner of the Boys Junior PGA in 2023. He is the No. 1 AJGA player and No. 7 amateur in the world, and even Padraig Harrington praised how straight and composed he looked under major pressure. Woods’ role so far is more symbolic than proven at the elite level. He caddied for Russell during U.S. Open qualifying, and Russell said his presence helped keep the mood light during a tense 36-hole day and playoff. That is a meaningful sign of trust and chemistry. But Woods was not on the bag at the U.S. Open itself; Russell used his regular caddie and coach, Ramon Bescansa, citing familiarity and experience. What makes this worth watching is what comes next. Russell and Woods are both committed to Florida State for 2027, where they are expected to be teammates. That gives them a real platform to build a competitive partnership, and Woods’ profile could bring unusual attention to college golf. For now, this is a promising alliance with high visibility and real upside, not yet a legendary one.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 21

Joe Russell took over his son's bag for the 18th hole at Shinnecock after USGA officials approved the Father's Day plan Sunday morning.
Miles Russell, 17, had arranged the gesture days earlier but first needed to make the cut, which he did by 1 stroke in his first U.S. Open.
An even-par 70 left Russell at 7-over for the tournament, and he said he was proud of how he handled one of golf's toughest tests.
Nearly 20 minutes of autograph signing followed as family watched nearby, capping a week in which the Florida State-bound teenager credited his father for getting him into golf at age 2.