‘Pretty Special’: Fans Pour In Wishes as Charlie Woods’ Rival Achieves New Milestone

Miles Russell and Charlie Woods are both attending the same college, playing the same sport, and sharing the same class. But right now, it’s Russell who just fired a seven-birdie final round on the Korn Ferry Tour in Savannah, and the social media galleries have not stopped pouring in their praise.

The 17-year-old captured the moment on Instagram, writing, “Pretty special week. Monday qualifying for the @clubcarchamp in Savannah and keeping it going for a T15. Always a lot of fun getting the opportunity to compete on the @kornferrytour. Appreciate all the support!”

The journey to that T15 was not simple. Russell opened with rounds of 70-67 to make the cut by two shots. In the third round, he made 74, which dropped him into a tie for 58th. On the final day, he carded seven birdies at The Landings Deer Creek Course. He shot a final-round 67 as a result, finishing tied for 15th at 10 under par. He went up 43 spots in the leaderboard and booked his spot at the LECOM Suncoast Classic near Bradenton with one shot to spare. The Suncoast Classic begins April 2 at the Lakewood National Course in Lakewood Ranch.

Russell had originally planned to caddie for Asterisk Talley at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, scheduled from April 1 to 4 at Champions Retreat Golf Club and Augusta National. However, the final round on Sunday made it impossible for Russell to caddie for Asterisk Talley, and he chose to compete instead.

This result adds a compelling layer to the rivalry with Charlie Woods. Charlie did not play, as he remains a high school amateur focused on junior events and college prep. Both are committed to Florida State’s Class of 2027, with Russell holding the world No. 1 junior ranking and Woods sitting at No. 21. They are Florida natives destined to share a locker room in Tallahassee.

Russell won the 2026 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley at 15-under while Woods finished last at 26-over. Yet Woods claimed his first AJGA title at the 2025 Team TaylorMade Invitational with Russell in the field, keeping the rivalry genuinely competitive. When Miles Russell won the golden jacket, he even congratulated him by calling him his friend and future teammate.

This tournament is the same event where Russell made history in 2024 by being the youngest player to make the Korn Ferry Tour cut at 15. Since then, he has made his first cut on the PGA Tour at the Puerto Rico Open in March 2026, where he finished tied for 50th in five starts.

In 2023 and 2025, he also won the Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass twice in a row. Interestingly, he broke his on-field competitor’s father, Tiger Woods’s, record for the youngest Rolex Junior Player of the Year at just 14 years and 364 days old.

Russell’s Savannah performance resonated far beyond the leaderboard, and fans made sure he felt every bit of it.

Fans rally behind Russell as Savannah’s heroics take over social media

Russell’s seven-birdie Sunday sparked an outpouring of support from fans who have watched him grow from a record-breaking teenager into a genuine professional contender.

“Great play Miles!!! ,” one fan wrote. Climbing 43 spots in a single final round on the Korn Ferry Tour, after a 74 had buried him in a tie for 58th, is the kind of recovery that couldn’t go unnoticed.

“So proud of you man! You are amazing and we love you!” read another comment. The pride made complete sense given the journey.

Russell broke Tiger Woods’ AJGA record at 14, made Korn Ferry Tour history at 15, and is now making PGA Tour cuts at 17, all while still being two years away from his college debut at Florida State.

“Nice work big guy! ,” said another fan. Russell birdied five of his first six holes in round two, endured a tough third round, and then shot his lowest round of the week when it mattered most.

“Chip and charge,” one fan summed up, capturing Russell’s aggressive birdie-hunting game in three words.

“Awesome week in Savannah!” Well, it genuinely was.

Russell overcame his worst day of the week on the final day, securing his next professional start. What do you think of this? Let us know!

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