Miles Russell and Jackson Koivun—both still building careers far from professional life—ended Saturday rounds together at the U.S. Open, their pairing watched like a preview of what’s next. Koivun shot 4-over-par 74 and dropped to 7 over for the tournament, wh
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Miles Russell’s 407-yard drive on the 18th hole landed him on the kind of walk that comes after a long U.S. Open round: one last trek to his ball, tired but smiling, with Jackson Koivun nearby.
“Not bad, not bad,” Russell said afterward with a smile. “I hit that one pretty good.”
For TV viewers, that moment fit neatly into a storyline already in motion. Seventeen-year-old Russell and 21-year-old Koivun were paired together in the third round, a grouping being referred to during TV coverage as the “future of golf.”
Neither spoke like they were trying to live up to it. They both sounded as if the expectation, more than the course, was the real test.
“I mean, I’m trying not to think about that,” Koivun said. “Just taking it one day at a time and let my golf game do the talking, but those are great compliments.”
On Saturday, the atmosphere outside the ropes came with noise of its own. Koivun and Russell both shot 4-over-par 74, dropping to 7 over for the tournament.
Scores like that can look harsh on a scoreboard. On windy Shinnecock Hills, they also matched what the day demanded—hard enough for any golfer, and especially for two players still not fully in the professional orbit.
Clark shot even-par 70 on Saturday but picked up two shots on the field.
For both Russell and Koivun, the “future” label isn’t coming out of nowhere. Koivun is expected to turn pro after a dominant college run at Auburn. He led Auburn to two national championships in three seasons. earning the Haskins Award as the nation’s top collegiate golfer. He became the first freshman since Justin Thomas in 2012 to win that award. Koivun also won the Southeastern Conference individual title all three years and was the world’s top-ranked amateur.
Russell, meanwhile, is still before college. 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 he will be a teammate with Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods’ son. Russell said Woods had carried his bag when he earned his spot in the U.S. Open through a 36-hole qualifier.
Russell also confirmed Friday that Woods will cede looping duties to Russell’s instructor and regular caddie, Ramon Bescansa, at Shinnecock.
Koivun and Russell didn’t know each other well before the round. Russell, who played with 54-year-old Padraig Harrington in the first two rounds, used the chance to be with someone closer to his own age—not only to talk golf, but to talk school.
Even with that behind-the-scenes learning, both players tried to step away from the hype that surrounds them.
“I don’t know, that’s kind of crazy,” Russell 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.
“Golf is a very difficult sport,” he added. “One day you have it and the next day it’s gone, so I think you just have to block it out and just keep doing what you’re doing, and hopefully one day that’s true.”
Still, Russell could see the attention aimed their way, even though they 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.”
They weren’t the only amateurs carrying momentum into the weekend. Koivun and Russell were two of the 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.
The pairing might be driving the conversation, but Koivun pointed to something larger than two names.
“Yeah, I mean, amateur golf is in a great spot right now,” Koivun 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.”
The tournament is now moving forward with the same hard lesson for everyone watching: the “future” arrives in real conditions, under real pressure, and it doesn’t wait for anyone to be ready.
U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills Miles Russell Jackson Koivun future of golf Auburn Haskins Award Florida State Charlie Woods Ramon Bescansa Padraig Harrington