15-Year-Old Miles Russell Holds His Own During PGA Tour Debut At Rocket Mortgage Classic

Miles Russell, a 15-year-old amateur, made his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday. He became the youngest player to ever make a cut on the Korn Ferry Tour in April at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. 

He also finished in the Top 20 in the event, which made him the youngest player to ever finish in the Top 20 at a PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament. 

All of that led to him getting a sponsor's exemption into this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic. Also competing in the tournament is 51-year-old Stewart Cink, representing a massive 36-year age gap between the youngest player in the field and the oldest. 

In fact, the host of the Rocket Mortgage Classic – Detroit Golf Club – doesn't allow anyone under the age of 16 to enter the clubhouse locker room. They made an exception for Russell this week. 

Everyone wondered how a kid who isn't legally able to drive would fare against some of the best golfers in the world. Turns out, not too badly. 

Miles Russell, a 15-year-old amateur golfer, made his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday.

(Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Russell showed some obvious nerves on the first hole of his PGA Tour career, making bogey to start his round. But he settled down after that and rattled off 10-straight pars. 

He headed to the third hole (his 12th of the day, as he started on the back-nine) sitting at one-over par thanks to that lone bogey. 

But on the third hole, Russell hit his best shot of the day. 

That gave Russell his first PGA Tour birdie and moved him to even-par on the day. 

However, after back-to-back pars following the birdie, Russell hit some of his worst shots of the day and made a double-bogey on the sixth hole. 

But he again showed some incredible resolve and immediately bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 seventh hole. 

Unfortunately, though, Russell missed a birdie putt from inside 12 feet on the eighth hole and then missed a short par putt on his final hole of the day to shoot two-over 74 in the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. 

Obviously, Russell would like to have a few shots back, but for a 15-year-old playing against mostly professional golfers, he certainly held his own. 

Interestingly, he shot the same score as 51-year-old Stewart Cink. But Russell shot better than nearly 30 professional golfers so that must feel good. 

It's an uphill climb for him to make the cut, but Russell's PGA Tour debut will be memorable no matter what the final result is.