Miles Russell, who became the youngest player ever to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour at 15, will make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic later this month, it was announced Monday.
Russell, the reigning American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year, finished in a tie for 20th at the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic on April 21. In doing so, he became the youngest player since at least 1983 to finish in the top 25 in a Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour event.
Now, after being awarded one of four sponsor's exemptions, Russell gets his first shot to tee it up against the top professionals in golf on June 27-30 at Detroit Golf Club, where Rickie Fowler is the defending champion.
"The Rocket Mortgage Classic is known as a tournament where 'future stars start,' and we're thrilled to have Miles make his PGA Tour debut here and add to that legacy," tournament director Jason Langwell said in a statement. "He has proved with his many accomplishments at such a young age that he belongs, and we are excited to see Miles compete alongside the world's best golfers here at Detroit Golf Club."
Welcome to the @PGATOUR, Miles Russell!
— Rocket Mortgage Classic (@RocketClassic) June 3, 2024
The youngest player to ever make a cut on the @KornFerryTour is bringing his talents to Detroit for his PGA TOUR debut at the #RocketMortgageClassic. pic.twitter.com/PxYVyRz8nT
Russell is a high school freshman from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and has been taking online classes since the eighth grade. He will join Kris Kim (16) and Blades Brown (16) as teenagers to make their PGA Tour debuts this season. Kim made the cut at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May.
"I am thankful to Rocket Mortgage for giving me the opportunity to make my PGA Tour debut," Russell said in a statement. "Ever since I first started playing golf, my dream has been to compete on the PGA Tour and test my game against the best players, and I'm looking forward to making the most of the experience later this month."
He is expected to return to the Detroit area in July to compete at the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club.
Russell failed in an earlier attempt to qualify for a PGA Tour event, losing in a playoff for a spot in the Puerto Rico Open. The left-hander won the Junior PGA Championship by 7 shots and became the youngest winner of the Junior Players Championship. He won the AJGA Player of the Year award at a younger age than Tiger Woods.
China's Guan Tianlang is the youngest to make the cut in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event. He was 14 when he made the cut in the 2013 Masters, playing as the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.