Charlie Woods helped pal Miles Russell qualify for the U.S. Open. But he’ll have to watch from the sidelines when Russell tees it up at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Thursday.
Russell is dropping Woods, both 17, from his bag in favour of swing coach Ramon Bescansa, he said in a phone conference Friday, per The Florida Times-Union.
Bescansa has previously caddied for Russell at his PGA Tour debut in 2024 as well as on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“I think it’s just a comfortability thing,” Russell said. “He’s caddied (at Shinnecock Hills) before … he caddied for Russell Knox in 2018 so he’s got a little history there. He kind of knows what it could play like and what it could be like, so just having that little bit of insight and knowledge definitely helps.”
Woods caddied for Russell on Monday during the 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier, helping his friend and future Florida State commit book his spot via playoff.
Russell didn’t commit to keeping Woods on his bag after.
“He was great,” Russell said. “We just walked and talked and laughed. We had a bunch of fun and he helped me the most probably just by staying calm, taking my mind off what was going on. That’s a pretty stressful day and if you have somebody on your bag that you don’t want to spend all day with, it’s going to make it that much harder.”
Russell, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., is the top-ranked amateur in the world. The U.S. Open will mark his first major start.
–with files from The Associated Press
