"How Boring They Play": Teenage Golfer Miles Russell's Unexpected Take on PGA Tour Pros
Miles Russell looks at his putting line at the U.S. Open Final Qualifying event hosted by Florida State Golf Association and United States Golf Association at BallenIsles Country Club's East Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on June 8, 2026. Competitors played two rounds today for four qualifying spots at the U.S. Open. Russell, an amateur from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., made the cut.
Miles Russell looks at his putting line at the U.S. Open Final Qualifying event hosted by Florida State Golf Association and United States Golf Association at BallenIsles Country Club's East Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on June 8, 2026. Competitors played two rounds today for four qualifying spots at the U.S. Open. Russell, an amateur from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., made the cut.
When a tour professional shoots a 65, it often looks easy. There are no big celebrations or emotional reactions. They hit fairways and greens and calmly move on to the next hole, but Miles Russell has been watching and learning from that approach.
Russell, the world's No. 1-ranked junior golfer, spoke Wednesday at a pre-tournament press conference at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The 17-year-old golfer is the youngest player in the 2026 U.S. Open field and is making his 13th professional start as an amateur.
Asked what he's picked up from watching Tour pros up close, he didn't hesitate. "I think, I mean, how boring they play," Russell said. "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. 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 fairway greens. It's nothing special."
Jun 15, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Miles Russell on hole 13 during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jun 15, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Miles Russell on hole 13 during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The big rounds still happen, and they just don't announce themselves. "Then when they have those special rounds, they'll go out and shoot 63, 62, and you say, that was fun to watch, and you shake their hand at the end of the day," he said.
Russell has won more than 30 junior events, reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur, and competed in PGA Tour events in Detroit, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and Louisville. He already has plenty of experience in professional golf and has learned a lot by watching top players.
Shinnecock Hills is a course that rewards players who hit good shots and make smart choices. Russell said it feels like a mix of a links course and Pinehurst, where players must put the ball in the right spots.
The course is very tough on mistakes. In the 2018 U.S. Open, no player finished under par, and Brooks Koepka won with a score of 1-over.
For all the star-studded range encounters, though, Russell is clear about where his head is when the bell rings Thursday.
Teenage Golfer Miles Russell Keeps It Simple Heading Into His First Major
Russell said one of the biggest challenges of his first major week has been managing his excitement. Instead of spending long hours practicing, he has limited himself to nine-hole practice rounds each day, focusing more on walking the course and studying it than hitting shots.
He believes staying patient and avoiding overdoing it early in the week will help him stay fresh for the tournament. The range has had its moments this week. Russell looked up one day and found Jordan Spieth hitting balls beside him, a player he watched win the 2015 Masters as a kid.
"I looked up to him as a little guy," Russell said. "That's just really cool. It's probably even cooler for my parents. My dad was standing behind me, and it just hits them more than it hits me."
He tees off Thursday at 7:19 a.m. alongside major champions Cameron Smith and Padraig Harrington.
Do you think Miles Russell will make the cut in his first U.S. Open start? Let us know in the comments.
Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Ankita Yadav