Future Pro: Miles Russell Age 15

[StuM]

I do not follow amateur or Korn Ferry tour but this story might get me to pay attention.

At age 15 to be as accomplished as he is makes me think we may be seeing a future star.  A story of him breaking out may help reinvigorate golf viewership.

Miles Russell has a hot start, cools off but finishes with a 68 in first Korn Ferry event

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Miles Russell, a 15-year-old Jacksonville Beach resident, made his Korn Ferry Tour debut on...

 

Edited April 19 by StuM
Added link to

[TN94z]

I follow him on IG. He is VERY solid and has a great temperament for the game.

[iacas]

I'd bet against him having much success as a pro, because of, you know… the odds. You don't want to be the best 15-year-old in the game. You want to be the best 25-year-old in the game.

[Ty_Webb]

16 minutes ago, iacas said:

I'd bet against him having much success as a pro, because of, you know… the odds. You don't want to be the best 15-year-old in the game. You want to be the best 25-year-old in the game.

True, but as 15 year olds go, he has a much better chance of getting there than any of the rest of them. Kid can flat out play. He almost Monday'd into a PGA tour event a few weeks ago too. Missed in a playoff. 

[saevel25]

32 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

True, but as 15 year olds go, he has a much better chance of getting there than any of the rest of them. Kid can flat out play. He almost Monday'd into a PGA tour event a few weeks ago too. Missed in a playoff. 

That sounds like a small sample size issue. What if the PGA tour event he was trying to get into just happened to fit his game perfectly? Also, he could just be playing hot right now. I’ll put this in the wait-and-see category.

[Ty_Webb]

6 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

That sounds like a small sample size issue. What if the PGA tour event he was trying to get into just happened to fit his game perfectly? Also, he could just be playing hot right now. I’ll put this in the wait-and-see category.

He shot -5 with a bogey on the last hole. Those Monday Q events are seriously tough to get through. Lots of very very good players play in those, including normally a fair few tour players who've lost their cards, including past winners. It is a small sample size, but he also just broke one of Tiger's records (youngest ever to be ranked one in AJGA if memory serves). He's the best 15 year old in the world at the moment. He's also pretty small and skinny - if he grows and fills out a bit and gets stronger, he could be a serious force to be reckoned with. He may of course also go off the boil and struggle or his swing may not last his growth or something, so it's not like he's odds on to make it or anything like that. I think it will be interesting to see how he progresses and if (big if granted) he progresses well, then he will be quite the prospect.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

He shot -5 with a bogey on the last hole.

And like Matt said, and I have hinted at… it's ONE ROUND.

4 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

Those Monday Q events are seriously tough to get through.

Because you have to get hot. Better players than him failed to get through.

4 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

He's the best 15 year old in the world at the moment.

And…

1 hour ago, iacas said:

You don't want to be the best 15-year-old in the game. You want to be the best 25-year-old in the game.

Peaked too soon, perhaps.

4 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

he could be a serious force to be reckoned with

He could also get injured, get surpassed, lose interest or lose his game…

Again, if I trusted y'all to uphold the bet, and if the bet wasn't basically a 15-year proposition… I'd bet y'all. The odds are against him, and heavily so.

Quote

Russell is playing on sponsor invitation. He previously attempted to Monday qualify for the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico event in March. He shot 67 and lost in a four-for-one playoff for the final spot.

Beginning at the par-5 No. 10, Russell birdied that hole, then added birdies at Nos. 12, 13 and 14. He climbed as high as a tie for 12th on the leaderboard and was tied for 13th when he parred the last four holes on the back nine to turn at 4-under.

So… he didn't qualify, and he's playing on a sponsor's exemption.

Jordan Spieth was 16 years old when he tied for 16th in a PGA Tour event… and I realize that mentioning Jordan Spieth (who has obviously had a lot of success) seems to argue against my point, but Spieth is the exception and he did better at only a year older than this fella.

The odds are strongly against him.

[snapfade]

Here's the bet. Assuming the pursuit of a Tour card holds, who wins their first Tour event? Charlie, or this Russell kid? Bet is off if Miles Russell signs with LIV. 

[iacas]

41 minutes ago, snapfade said:

Charlie

No, that's not the bet.

Charlie isn't comparable in any way, really.

[Vinsk]

Nice kid. We’ll never hear of ‘em.🙂

[Ty_Webb]

Worth a watch. He's remarkably mature for a 15 year old if you ask me. 

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

Worth a watch.

Why? Does it somehow disprove math? 😄 

In… checks notes… about 53 minutes? 😄 

[Ty_Webb]

44 minutes ago, iacas said:

Why? Does it somehow disprove math? 😄 

In… checks notes… about 53 minutes? 😄 

Because it's interesting. I didn't disagree with anything you said, so I'm not trying to argue anything. I saw this and thought it was a fun watch.

[iacas]

27 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

Because it's interesting. I didn't disagree with anything you said, so I'm not trying to argue anything. I saw this and thought it was a fun watch.

I don't think I've found any of the Good Good stuff, or the guys that were once a part of it, very interesting.

[StuM]

Nothing is assured and lots of talented young athletes in many sports fail to achieve greatness.

as was said, injuries, growth, lots of things can come into play,

And let’s let honest, over the years a few players have been branded “The Next Tiger Woods” and yet there is only 1 Tiger Woods.

My initial point was if he can do a great breakout it may capture the attention of a new generation.  Back in the 70s it was Secretariat in horse racing, we also had Jordan in basketball and let’s not forget Tiger for golf.  Stories get people interested and I think golf needs a new story.

I will pull for him and hope it works out but there are so many factors that come into play you just do not know, But I can hope.

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, StuM said:

My initial point was if he can do a great breakout it may capture the attention of a new generation.  Back in the 70s it was Secretariat in horse racing, we also had Jordan in basketball and let’s not forget Tiger for golf.  Stories get people interested and I think golf needs a new story.

I'm struggling to understand the point you're trying to make here, then: Tiger broke out because he was super charismatic (the fist pumps and emotion and whatnot), he was talented (winning his first major as a pro by 12), and a minority ("Cablinasian" or black or whatever route you want to go there).

This is just a non-descript white kid, right? Couldn't anyone from his generation "capture the attention" if they "break out"? And wouldn't someone who isn't just a non-descript white dude actually stand a better chance of doing this?

What am I missing? Does he have an interesting back-story? Is he super unique in some way?

[Ty_Webb]

68-66… two rounds…🫣

[StuM]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

I'm struggling to understand the point you're trying to make here, then: Tiger broke out because he was super charismatic (the fist pumps and emotion and whatnot), he was talented (winning his first major as a pro by 12), and a minority ("Cablinasian" or black or whatever route you want to go there).

This is just a non-descript white kid, right? Couldn't anyone from his generation "capture the attention" if they "break out"? And wouldn't someone who isn't just a non-descript white dude actually stand a better chance of doing this?

What am I missing? Does he have an interesting back-story? Is he super unique in some way?

He is 15 and the charisma may come, as you said a lot will change as he grows up.  I’m not saying “he is the next Tiger” or anything like that. But he has talent and maybe it happens.  Everyone starts somewhere.