Miles Russell, a 17-year-old amateur, made his father Joe's Father's Day unforgettable by having him caddie on the final hole of his US Open debut at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York. The teenager received special permission from the tournament's rules committee on Father's Day morning to allow his dad to take over the bag from his regular caddie, Ramon Bescansa.
Father-Son Moment on the 18th Hole
As Russell approached the 18th hole during the final round, Bescansa dropped the bag and handed his bib to Joe Russell just inside the ropes. The teenager then walked up the fairway with his father by his side, completing an even-par 70 fourth round. Reflecting on the moment, Russell said: "It was pretty cool. Just there walking up 18, that's when he stepped in. It was a fun Father's Day gift. Cool since it was my first one. Hopefully, it's something he'll remember for a long time."
Strong Debut Performance
Russell finished tied for 39th place with Jacob Bridgeman, John Keefer, and Robert MacIntyre after making the cut in his first major championship start. He ended two shots behind Jackson Koivun and Ryder Cowan, both 21, who won the Silver Cup as the leading amateurs. Despite being the youngest player in the field, Russell was not intimidated. "The golf ball doesn't know your age, so all you're trying to do is get it in the hole as fast as you can," he said.
Learning from the Pros
During the opening two rounds, Russell was paired with Padraig Harrington, the oldest player in the field, and Cameron Smith. He carefully observed their professionalism, stating: "It's been really cool watching Cam and Padraig, just the way they go about it. You're learning things." Russell, a two-time junior player of the year, has been tipped as the 'future of golf' but downplayed the hype. "I think the main thing is just keep enjoying it, because if you're not enjoying it, you may not have much of a future in it," he added.
Overall Experience
Russell described his week at Shinnecock Hills as "pretty special," adding: "Just to be here was really special, and to make the cut was bonus points. I didn't quite have my best stuff the last two days, but still really cool—just a great experience." He acknowledged the difficulty of golf, saying: "Golf is a very difficult sport. One day you have it, and the next day it's gone, so I think you just have to kind of block it out and just keep doing what you're doing, and hopefully one day that's true."
