Miles Russell posts 1-under 70 in first round of LECOM Suncoast Classic

Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach has yet to shoot an over-par round in two starts in the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic.

But the 16-year-old Jacksonville Beach resident still has work to do on April 17 if he wants to make his second cut in a row in the event.

Russell shot 1-under 70 on April 16 at the Lakewood National Commander Course in Lakewood Ranch and is tied for 84th. He will tee off in the second round at 9:15 a.m., with the cutline at 2-under to start the day.

Russell tied for 20th last year at 14-under 270, and posted rounds of 68-66-70-66. He became the youngest player ever to make the cut at a Korn Ferry Tour event and his finish qualified him for the Veritex Bank Championship the following week. Players who finish among the top 25 in a Korn Ferry Tour event are in the field for the next tournament.

Russell was the youngest player on record (the PGA Tour has statistics that go back to 1983) to finish among the top 25 on either the Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour.

Russell is averaging 68.0 in five rounds at Lakewood National.

After he played in the LECOM Classic and the Veritex Bank Championship, Russell made two starts on the PGA Tour, at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He missed the cut in both events.

Russell is the current No. 1-ranked player in the American Junior Golf Association.