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Charlie Woods has become one of the most recognizable names in junior golf, but he was recently willing to step into the background for a friend. When Miles Russell — the world’s top-ranked junior and No. 10 amateur — needed a caddie for U.S. Open final qualifying, Woods didn’t hesitate. The 17-year-old was on the bag for Russell at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a hometown opportunity that made the arrangement all the more fitting.
That’s where the partnership ends, however. Woods will not carry Russell’s bag at the U.S. Open later this summer at Shinnecock Hills, it was confirmed Friday. Instead, on a call with local media, Russell announced that his swing coach, Ramon Bescansa, will caddie for him.
Woods’ own bid for a spot in the championship fell short in local qualifying, though his ascent continues on another track, he recently secured a place in his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur. Still, with final qualifying unfolding close to home, Woods found a way to be part of the moment by supporting one of his closest peers.
Their connection runs deeper than a single week. Woods and Russell are both committed to Florida State’s 2027 recruiting class and share representation under agent Allen Hobbs of Players Group Management. Their rise through the junior ranks has unfolded in parallel, their paths increasingly intertwined.
Russell, for his part, arrives with a résumé that stands on its own. A two-time American Junior Golf Association Rolex Junior Player of the Year, he first claimed the honor at just 15, breaking a record once held by Tiger Woods, Charlie’s father.
The caddie role isn’t unfamiliar territory in Russell’s orbit, either. Earlier this year, he had planned to loop for Asterisk Talley at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur before a late change of schedule, prompted by a Korn Ferry Tour opportunity, forced him to bow out.
In a tight-knit junior golf world where roles often shift, Woods and Russell briefly flipped the script at BallenIsles. Come Shinnecock, though, Russell will go it alone, while Woods watches his friend take the next step.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Will Charlie Woods caddie for Miles Russell at the U.S. Open?
Continue reading...
That’s where the partnership ends, however. Woods will not carry Russell’s bag at the U.S. Open later this summer at Shinnecock Hills, it was confirmed Friday. Instead, on a call with local media, Russell announced that his swing coach, Ramon Bescansa, will caddie for him.
Woods’ own bid for a spot in the championship fell short in local qualifying, though his ascent continues on another track, he recently secured a place in his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur. Still, with final qualifying unfolding close to home, Woods found a way to be part of the moment by supporting one of his closest peers.
Their connection runs deeper than a single week. Woods and Russell are both committed to Florida State’s 2027 recruiting class and share representation under agent Allen Hobbs of Players Group Management. Their rise through the junior ranks has unfolded in parallel, their paths increasingly intertwined.
Russell, for his part, arrives with a résumé that stands on its own. A two-time American Junior Golf Association Rolex Junior Player of the Year, he first claimed the honor at just 15, breaking a record once held by Tiger Woods, Charlie’s father.
The caddie role isn’t unfamiliar territory in Russell’s orbit, either. Earlier this year, he had planned to loop for Asterisk Talley at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur before a late change of schedule, prompted by a Korn Ferry Tour opportunity, forced him to bow out.
In a tight-knit junior golf world where roles often shift, Woods and Russell briefly flipped the script at BallenIsles. Come Shinnecock, though, Russell will go it alone, while Woods watches his friend take the next step.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Will Charlie Woods caddie for Miles Russell at the U.S. Open?
Continue reading...
