Teenage golf sensation, 15, fast-tracked to PGA Tour after breaking Tiger Woods' record

Fifteen year old golf prodigy Miles Russell, who recently broke a record set by Tiger Woods , is set to make his PGA Tour debut later this year.

The Jacksonville, Florida high school freshman became the youngest player ever to make a cut at a Korn Ferry Tour event last week, shooting rounds of 68 and 66 at the LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National Golf Club in Florida.

Russell finished tied for 20th at 14-under-par after shooting rounds of 70 and 66 in the final two rounds, making him the first player under 16 to finish in the top 25 of a PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour event on record.

His performance earned him a spot in this week's Korn Ferry Tour event, the Veritex Bank Championship, which kicks off at Texas Rangers Golf Club on Thursday. But that's not all for the young golfer who also found out he'll be making his PGA Tour debut as a sponsor's exemption at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November.

READ MORE: Rory McIlroy wants to drive through deal with LIV Golf backers after PGA Tour U-turn

READ MORE: LIV Golf praised for doing what PGA Tour couldn't as Greg Norman gets last laugh

This opportunity comes as a reward for winning the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Junior Player of the Year for 2023, during which he broke Woods' long-standing record of being the youngest player to win the award.

"I am honored to be receiving an exemption into the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship," expressed Russell. "I have dreamt of playing on the PGA Tour my entire life and to have that dream coming to fruition later this year is a feeling that I cannot describe. I am grateful to the tournament and the AJGA for their partnership that is allowing me this incredible opportunity."

Despite his amateur status, which means he won't earn any prize money during his tour appearances until he turns professional, the experience he will gain is sure to be invaluable as he continues to hone his skills.

Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news

Russell currently holds the second spot in the Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings for American boys, and at three years younger than number one William Jennings, who has committed to the University of Alabama after he graduates this year. Already ranked in the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Russell also made a leap into the Official World Golf Ranking this week, landing in 1738th place.

Describing his breakthrough week on the Korn Ferry Tour as "awesome", Russell confirmed that he can compete with professionals when he's at the top of his game.

In his post-tournament interview on Sunday, he commented: "When I play well, I think I can compete with some of the better pros, but this week I played well and I think it kind of showed it a little bit. But good play is always good, and definitely confidence-boosting to finish where we're going to finish today."

Follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.