Miles Russell, 17, is the youngest player at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he shot a steady two-over 72 with 14 pars. In Thursday’s first round he outplayed major champions and stayed within four shots of the lead despite wind and nerves.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — At Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the numbers look almost unreal: Miles Russell is 17, the course is 135, and the U.S. Open can feel older than anyone in the field. On Thursday’s first round. Russell gave that age a kind of momentum—watching himself keep control while the day around him went wild.
Before the round even fully settled, Russell’s standard bearer for the day, Padraig Harrington, seemed to land on the simplest explanation. “Age 17. It’s pretty crazy.”
Then the 54-year-old quietly watched as Russell, in real time, turned pressure into precision. When Russell flung a dart into the par-3 17th hole, Harrington’s reaction carried the whole moment: “Another one.”
Thursday really did get crazy—then it got even crazier. Russell arrived at this stage by advancing through a playoff in a final qualifying tournament last week. Before that, he’d played on the first U.S. national junior team. He had also been the youngest ever to make a cut on the Korn Ferry Tour. By the time he reached Shinnecock, he’d climbed to the top 10 in the world amateur golf rankings.
But it was the round itself that made the story feel immediate.
Russell’s first major stakes test at Shinnecock came with a score that wasn’t flashy—three bogeys and a birdie, and then the steady base underneath it: 14 pars. It’s the kind of balance that reads boring on paper. On a national stage, that “boringness” is exactly what players are taught to chase.
He said he’s watched the pros. and he framed it in a way only a teenager can—like he was studying the illusion of perfection. “You watch them play and you’re like. man. this guy plays pretty boring. and at the end of the round. you’re seeing the score and he shoots like 65.” Russell added that it can feel like the hole-by-hole drama doesn’t match what the scoreboard later reveals: “You’re like. I did not see you shooting 65 out there. but it’s just so kind of ho-hum and a lot of fairways and greens.”.
Two-over 72 is not ho-hum. After the morning wave, Russell was just four back of the lead.
Asked about what the course demanded—especially in the wind—Russell didn’t dress it up. “It’s just. I mean. the way you have to play this golf course.” He said the key was trying to hit a lot of greens and putt it close. because “putting in the wind is not easy.” Even once the ball is on the greens. he added. it’s still not easy—so you’re left trying to “hit a good putt and If it goes in. it’s great. but if it doesn’t. it happens.”.
There was also the feeling that he belonged more than he was supposed to.
Russell admitted he was an old soul, but his smile had a straightforward reason: “it’s hard not to smile when you’re playing in the U.S. Open at 17.” He gave his play an “A” letter grade, though he still heard the gaps in his own work. “it could be a few shots better, for sure.”
He acknowledged nerves on No. 1. “that’s what you practice for.”
On Thursday, Russell beat a strong mix of names—Brooks Koepka, age 36; Adam Scott, age 45, who had been part of a 100-straight major participant streak; and Padraig Harrington, age 54, one of Russell’s playing partners and just over three times older than him.
And then there’s the detail that has fans leaning closer every time it comes up: Russell’s pal, Charlie Woods.
Charlie Woods is the son of Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner. Both Russell and Charlie will play on the Florida State University golf team. At final qualifying, the younger Woods caddied for Russell.
Has Charlie reached out? Russell laughed off the idea that it would be a big moment. “No, he’s busy. He’s got other things going on.”
At a pre-tournament press conference a day earlier, Russell had tried to keep this week from turning into something too heavy. He said he’d try to make this week “another tournament.” One player a few years older—Harrington—suggested that Russell did mostly that.
“Harrington said. “He played lovely.”
Harrington said two-over par was the worst he could have shot. He said Russell hit the ball dead straight all day and didn’t really put himself in too much trouble. Harrington also said Russell “probably could have been a couple better.”
Harrington didn’t try to predict a future from one windy round. “Have to wait and see,” he said. “It’s hard to know in the wind.” Still, he saw qualities: that Russell’s ball flight “looked like he could hit it down a rope,” and that he may want “narrower fairways,” if Harrington had to guess.
Then Harrington circled back to the reality that dwarfs most comparisons. “I’ll wait and see another day. He’s a little guy, isn’t he?. He’s 17 years of age.” And he added the personal benchmark that makes every prodigy story feel smaller: “Can’t remember what I was doing when I was 17 years of age. Yeah, I’m sure it’s all ahead of him.”.
For Harrington, the wind changed the accuracy of any early conclusion. “Looked very good. It’s hard to tell in one round of golf in all that wind.”
Friday at 1:14 p.m. off of hole 10, Russell and Harrington will be back with their other playing partner, Cameron Smith.
Russell’s tone in the pre-tournament press conference was the same quiet philosophy he uses to manage the noise. He said golf is all on him. At home, he said golf feels peaceful, especially when he can play nine holes by himself. “Just when I get to go out and play nine holes by myself. ” Russell said. “and that’s kind of my favorite thing about the game.”.
As Thursday wound down, Russell’s coach showed up in the places that matter—alongside him, Ramon Bescansa, who’s also doubling as Russell’s caddie. Bescansa is 41, and he’s familiar with the swing-and-wait life. He played pro golf for a while and played at the University of North Carolina.
Bescansa looked at Thursday through practical eyes. “He hit the ball great.” He said Russell hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. and while he “definitely could have made a few more putts. ” Bescansa said Russell putted nicely and “rolled it nice.” With the wind in the equation. he added. it meant the margins mattered—“Just a lot of close balls. and with the wind. it was tough to make putts.”.
Then the question landed with honesty: could Bescansa—at 17—have done what Russell did now?
He laughed once, and the answer was immediate. “Nope.”
Miles Russell U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills Charlie Woods Tiger Woods Padraig Harrington Brooks Koepka Adam Scott Cameron Smith college golf Florida State amateur rankings