Miles Russell, the world’s top-ranked junior, to take on U.S. Open final qualifier with Charlie Woods on the bag

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Miles Russell is among 78 golfers teeing off at BallenIsles Country Club today, looking for one of the few remaining golden tickets to the upcoming U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. He’s playing in one of 10 Final Qualifying tournaments, a 36-hole affair in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., against top talent like Matt Kuchar, Luke Clanton and Matthieu Pavon. As he tries to qualify for his first U.S. Open, Russell will do it with somebody who has his own unique personal knowledge of the U.S. Open.

That’s right. According to Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, Russell will take on Golf’s Longest Day with the help of his good friend and fellow Florida State commit, Charlie Woods.

The 17-year-olds’ combined age might be younger than that of quite a few players they’re teeing up against, but all that really matters is birdies and bogeys. They’re also “ancient” compared to 14-year-old Nico Gordic-Ronderos, the youngest competitor in Final Qualifying.

MORE: Who’s in, who’s out and everything you need to know from ‘Golf’s Longest Day’

Back in April, Charlie Woods finished one stroke off a playoff for his own chance to tee off at BallenIsles. But he did qualify for his third straight U.S. Junior Amateur at Saucon Valley Country Club next month.

Russell is a two-time AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, winning for the first time at 15 years old, even breaking Tiger Woods’ record as the youngest recipient. And speaking of caddieing, Russell was planning to be on Asterisk Talley’s bag in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Unfortunately, he had to drop out at the last second after Monday-qualifying into a Korn Ferry Tour event.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com