SOUTHAMPTON, NY – Miles Russell, 17, is a contender at the US Open, 131, at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, age 135. During Thursday’s first round, Russell defeated, among other things, Previous Shinny winner Brooks Koepkaage 36; 100-straight main participant Adam Scottage 45; AND triple champion Padraig Harringtonone of Russell’s partners, who at 54 is just over three times his age.
But if it’s perspective we’re looking for, we need to talk to someone who had it good – Russell’s standard bearer on Thursday.
Age 17.
“It’s pretty crazy.”
The Long Island boy then watched as Russell dropped a dart on the par-3 17th hole.
“Another one.”
And there you go. Thursday was crazy. And got madder. last week, Russell thrived to this point through a playoff in a final qualifying tournament. Prior to that, he had played on the USA’s first national junior team. And he would be the youngest ever to make a cut on the Korn Ferry Tour. He has moved into the top 10 in the world amateur golf rankings. But to Shinnecock the show may have been his most important. He is the youngest player in the US Openwhere the driving is to make you feel like you were Ripe.
But to go with three bogeys and a birdie, he posted 14 pars, which is beautiful in its upset, which is what you want in this national championship, and it has been a method that Russell has chosen. He said he has seen the professionals. He said he has seen what it can be like to watch grass grow in a green field. “You watch them play and you’re like, man, this guy plays really boring, and at the end of the round, you’re looking at the score and he shoots like a 65,” Russell said. “You say, I didn’t see you shoot 65 out there, but it’s kind of loud and a lot of greens. It’s nothing special.”
But the two-over 72s are.
After the morning tide, Russell was only four behind the lead.
“It’s just, I mean, the way you’re supposed to play this golf course,” he said. “I think it’s fair, especially with the wind we’ve had, you just have to try to hit a lot of greens and close because, I mean, putting the wind in is not easy. Once you get on the greens, it’s still not easy, so you’re just trying to hit a fairway and if it goes in, it’s good, but if it doesn’t, it happens.”
If you’re thinking Russell says the right things, it’s because he says them. On Thursday, he admitted he is an old soul. He said he was smiling throughout the round because, well, “it’s hard not to smile when you’re playing the US Open at 17.” He gave his game an “A” grade, but “could be a few shots better, for sure.” He said he was nervous at No. 1, but “that’s what you practice for.” Then there is his friend, Charlie Woodsson of 15-time major winner Tiger Woods. Both will play on the Florida State University golf team, and in the final qualifier, the younger Woods ran for Russell. Has Charlie made it?
“No, he’s busy,” Russell laughed.
“He has other things going on.”
The other day, in a pre-tournament press conference — weird stuff, of course — Russell said he’d try to make this week “another tour,” which, again, is what you’re supposed to say, only a player a few years older thinks Russell mostly did.
“He played nice,” Harrington said.
“The double before was the worst he could have shot. He hit it straight all day. He didn’t get himself in too much trouble at all. Maybe it could have been a few better.”
As for how Russell compares to other pitchers Harrington has played with, Russell would likely appreciate the answer.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Harrington said.
“It’s hard to tell in the wind. He played great golf, he hit it — like I said, it looked like he could rope it. I think he wants narrower fairways, if you ask me. He looked beautiful.
“I’ll wait and see another day. He’s a little boy, right? He’s 17. I don’t remember what I was doing when I was 17. Yeah, I’m sure it’s all ahead of him.
“It looked pretty good. It’s hard to tell with a round of golf in all that wind.”
On Friday at 1:14 p.m. off the 10th hole, Russell and Harrington, along with their other playing partner, Cameron Smithwill be back, and Russell will definitely embrace it all again. In that pre-tournament presser, he even waxed poetic about why he plays. Golf, he said, is on him. At home, he said golf is peaceful for him. “Just when I can 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, you notice Russell’s coach, Ramon Bescansa, who is doubling as his caddy. He played pro golf for a while. He played at the University of North Carolina. He himself had been a young star. On Thursday, he said he was pleased with the way things went with Russell. “He hit the ball great,” Bescansa said. “He hit a lot of balls, a lot of greens. He definitely could have made a few more shots, but he made them nice. He rolled it nice. Just a lot of balls close and with the wind, it was hard to make easy shots.”
But you wonder:
Could Bescansa, 41, have done what Russell did when Bescansa, 17?
He laughed.
“No.”
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