LONGWOOD, Fla. — Miles Russell became the youngest player to make the cut in the 35-year history of the Korn Ferry Tour when the 15-year-old posted a 5-under 66 Friday in the Lecom Suncoast Classic.
Russell opened with a 68 and left little doubt he would be sticking around all four days. He made a pair of eagles on the front nine, one of them on the 282-yard, par-4 fourth hole, and then began the back nine with two straight birdies.Russell is a high school freshman from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, who has been taking online classes since the eighth grade.
The left-hander already is piling up some impressive credentials. He was the American Junior Golf Association player of the year in 2023, which included his seven-shot win in the Junior PGA Championship and becoming the youngest winner of the Junior Players Championship. Last month he nearly qualified for a PGA Tour event, losing out in a playoff in a Monday qualifier for the Puerto Rico Open. The Korn Ferry Tour is the PGA Tour’s top developmental circuit.
Guan Tianlang of China remains 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.