Miles Russell Continues Dominant Run with Sage Valley Victory
Miles Russell just keeps winning.
The 16-year-old phenom from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, captured the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley on Saturday in Graniteville, South Carolina. It’s his fourth straight victory against junior competition.
Russell’s hot streak extends beyond junior golf. He’s won four of his past five amateur starts, including the South Beach International Amateur. His only non-win was a third-place finish at the Jones Cup. He hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in a non-pro tournament since last summer’s AJGA Junior Players, where he tied for 16th.
The final round at Sage Valley featured plenty of drama. Russell began the day four shots behind leader Joshua Bai, a Florida signee from New Zealand. Through nine holes, Russell was still three back of Bai, who went out in 1-under 35.
But the back nine told a different story. Bai bogeyed three of his first five holes, then double-bogeyed two of his last three to fall to solo third.
Jackson Byrd, son of former PGA Tour player Jonathan Byrd, made a strong push by reaching 13 under after four birdies in his first 13 holes. The gold winner’s jacket seemed within his grasp. Then came a collapse – Byrd played Nos. 14-17 in a combined 6 over.
Russell, meanwhile, showed remarkable consistency. He carded just two bogeys in his final 36 holes, including one at the last on Saturday. His third straight 2-under 70 gave him a 9-under total and a two-shot victory over Byrd.
Charlie Woods, who received an invite into the 36-player field despite his lower national junior rankings, finished T-25 at 11 over. He outplayed reigning U.S. Junior champion Trevor Gutschewski by six shots.
In the girls division, Canada’s Aphrodite Deng dominated, beating China’s Yujie Liu by six shots with a 7-under total. Kai Trump, granddaughter of President Donald Trump, finished last among the 24 competitors, 22 shots behind her closest opponent.
Walker Cup Implications
Russell’s victory puts him in elite company with past Sage Valley champions like Scottie Scheffler, Joaquin Niemann, Akshay Bhatia and Austin Eckroat. It also strengthens his case for making Walker Cup history.
If Russell qualifies for this year’s match at Cypress Point, he’ll become the event’s youngest competitor ever, breaking Scotland’s Connor Graham’s record by four days. He’s currently the 24th-ranked American in WAGR, though at least seven players ahead of him are expected to turn pro this summer.
Captain Nathan Smith will select ten players for his squad, including at least one mid-amateur. Auburn’s Jackson Koivun and Virginia’s Ben James seem to be locks already. Texas’ Tommy Morrison and mid-amateur Evan Beach have strong chances, while Vanderbilt’s Jackson Van Paris and Auburn’s Brendan Valdes attended last December’s practice session and would be candidates if they remain amateur.
The last high-schooler to represent the Americans in a Walker Cup was Bhatia in 2019. Before that, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Rodgers made the team in 2011.
