Miles Russell and Jackson Koivun—both still amateurs—played together in the U.S. Open’s third round at windy Shinnecock Hills, earning a shared 4-over-par 74 and a 7-over total for the tournament.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Miles Russell spent a long walk back to his ball at the end of a long U.S. Open round on Saturday, and on the 18th hole he had something to smile about: a tee shot that carried 407 yards.
“Not bad, not bad,” Russell said afterward. “I hit that one pretty good.”
The 17-year-old and Jackson Koivun, 21, were paired together in the third round—an image that TV coverage framed as the “future of golf.” It’s a label neither of them said they wanted to carry.
Already accomplished in a way most players don’t even reach until their pro years. both were still clearly thinking like amateurs trying to survive the week. Both shot 4-over-par 74, dropping to 7 over for the tournament. The day at windy Shinnecock Hills was difficult enough that those numbers weren’t automatically disappointing for anyone. For two players also playing on the weekend of their first major championship experience. it landed with less drama and more steadiness.
They both know what the hype sounds like. Koivun tried to deflect it without denying it.
“I mean, I’m trying not to think about that,” he said. “Just taking it one day at a time and let my golf game do the talking, but those are great compliments.”
Russell echoed the idea of keeping things simple, even when the sport is asking more of you than ever.
“I don’t know, that’s kind of crazy,” he said. “I mean, I think the main thing is just keep enjoying it, because if you’re not enjoying it, you may not have much of a future in it. So, I think we just keep doing what we’re doing, and see where it takes us.”
He added that golf’s volatility is part of the reason to stay grounded. “Golf is a very difficult sport,” Russell said. “One day you have it and the next day it’s gone, so I think you just have to kind of block it out and just keep doing what you’re doing, and hopefully one day that’s true.”
Koivun’s path has already carried him through the kind of college dominance that attracts attention before turning pro. He is about to turn pro after a dominant college career at Auburn. where he led the school to two national championships in three seasons. He became the first freshman since Justin Thomas in 2012 to win the Haskins Award. which is given to the nation’s top collegiate golfer. Koivun won the Southeastern Conference individual title all three years and has been the world’s top-ranked amateur.
Russell, meanwhile, is still in the early stretch of his rise. A left-hander, he is ranked No. 1 in the American Junior Golf Association and No. 7 among all amateurs in the world. He is headed to Florida State and will be a teammate with Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods’ son. Russell’s U.S. Open spot came through a 36-hole qualifier. and Woods carried Russell’s bag when he earned his way into the tournament.
On the course, they weren’t rivals, and they weren’t even close friends. They didn’t know each other well. Russell. who played with 54-year-old Padraig Harrington in the first two rounds. had a reason to value the new pairing: it offered a chance to talk to someone closer to his own stage of life and to get advice about school.
Still, the day also showed them what the tournament does to crowds. Russell said he could tell people were paying attention even though he and Koivun were out early, long before anyone near the top of the leaderboard.
“At the beginning, we had some good crowds out there,” Russell said. “I think if we might have played a little better, they might have stuck around a little longer, but it was cool.”
The way they handled their rounds also fit into a larger story that wasn’t only about Koivun and Russell. They were two of five amateurs who made the cut, a group led by 21-year-old Ryder Cowan. Cowan, who will be a senior at Oklahoma, was tied for 11th after 36 holes.
Koivun pointed to that broader footprint when asked what he makes of the moment.
“Yeah, I mean, amateur golf is in a great spot right now,” he said. “The college kids are definitely showing off, showing off how good they are, and for five of us to make it through, it’s quite impressive.”
U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills Miles Russell Jackson Koivun amateur golf Florida State Charlie Woods Ryder Cowan