Top-ranked Russell treating Junior Invitational at Sage Valley as business as usual

Mar. 21—GRANITEVILLE — Carrying a No. 1 ranking into the tournament with the toughest field in junior golf can do one of two things to a player.

It can put pressure on them, or it can motivate them.

For Miles Russell, there's a third choice — business as usual.

Russell's status as the top-ranked junior golfer in the world hasn't changed a thing about his focus and preparation for the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, and not surprisingly his name was among the leaders at the midway point.

"I don't know. It's not really on my mind," Russell said after Thursday's second-round 70 to reach 5 under. "Just, kind of, come here, have a good time and play my game. Sticking to my game plan and seeing where it puts me at the end of the week."

Russell, a 16-year-old making his second Junior Invitational appearance, is used to having all eyes on him at this point in his young golfing career. He holds the top spot in the rankings by both the American Junior Golf Association and the Junior Golf Scoreboard. He's the AJGA's reigning Rolex Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player to earn that honor — taking that distinction away from one Tiger Woods.

That's not nearly all of it. He won the prestigious Rolex Tournament of Champions last November, then in February brought home the title at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. In 2023 he won both the Junior PGA Championship and Junior Players Championship, and all of that combined has the Vanderbilt commit at No. 33 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

There's still more. He made two PGA Tour starts last year and also made Korn Ferry Tour history by becoming the youngest player to finish in the top 25 in one of its tournaments after making the cut at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, and it was announced Thursday that he will receive a sponsor's exemption to return to that event when it's played next month.

Needless to say, he has plenty of practice at tuning out the outside noise.

He played in a marquee grouping Thursday alongside third-ranked Luke Colton and posted his fourth round of 70 or better in five chances at Sage Valley.

"There's been some good and some bad. I've just kind of got to stay patient out there," he said. "It's not an easy golf course. I don't know, go hit a few balls this afternoon and kind of figure stuff out and get ready for tomorrow."

Some good and some bad usually doesn't give a player a chance to win — but, as Russell has proven since a pair of US Kids World Championship wins, he's not the ordinary junior golfer.

Sage Valley is a course that challenges players in a variety of ways, and the Junior Invitational's list of champions and past participants playing on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf speaks for itself. It's the type of test that appeals to Russell, because he knows he has to stay dialed from the first tee to the 18th green.

"It's a difficult golf course," he said. "You've got to do a lot of things well. Especially if something's not working, now you've got to do the other stuff really well. Really, just as long as you keep the ball in play and your iron game is pretty solid. Some of the greens can get tricky if your iron game's not great. Really, you've got to make your four-footers out here."

One of Russell's takeaways from his Junior Invitational debut last year was his wish that it could be a four-day event. This year that came true, with the tournament expanding from 54 to 72 holes. That extra round requires that much more focus, and that many more opportunities for the best to separate themselves from the rest.

"I mean, (the course) in such great shape. Greens are awesome, no matter if it's hot, cold, whatever it is, really just any type of weather," he said. "It's just a good test. You've got to do everything right. If you do everything well, you'll play well. But if you don't, you're going to struggle."