Miles Russell will make his major debut without buddy Charlie Woods on the bag.
Woods, the son of 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, caddied for the 17-year-old Russell, the nation’s top-ranked junior, at last Monday’s U.S. Open final qualifier at BallenIsles in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where Russell claimed the final ticket to Shinnecock Hills by surviving a 3-for-2 playoff. But Russell confirmed Friday that Woods, 17, will cede looping duties to Russell’s instructor and regular caddie, Ramon Bescansa.
Bescansa teaches out of Glen Kernan Club in Jacksonville, Florida, where Russell lives, and caddied for Russell Knox the last time the U.S. Open came to Shinnecock, in 2018.
“I think it’s just a comfortability thing,” said Russell, who has already made a dozen starts between the PGA and Korn Ferry tours, most of which Bescansa caddied for.
When he was 15 years old, Russell made history at the KFT’s 2024 Lecom Suncoast Classic, not only becoming the youngest player to make a KFT cut but the youngest player on record to notch a top-25 finish (T-20) on any PGA Tour-sanctioned tour. Russell’s best pro finish came at this year’s Club Car Championship on the KFT; Russell shot 63 to Monday-qualify into the event.
Russell is currently the 11th-ranked amateur in the world, but that includes five players ahead of him who have either already turned pro or plan to do so in the next couple weeks. He is a heavy favorite to qualify for the 10-man U.S. Walker Cup team that will compete in Ireland this September.
