Miles Russell has a hot start, cools off but finishes with a 68 in first Korn Ferry event

It was a sizzling start for 15-year-old Miles Russell in the Korn Ferry Tour LECOM Suncoast Classic, at the Lakewood National Commander Course near Bradenton, with birdies on four of his first five holes.

The Jacksonville Beach resident and the country's No. 1-ranked junior golfer cooled down but still posted a 3-under-par 68 on Thursday in his first start in a professional tournament.

Russell was tied for 28th at the time he finished and wound up in a tie for 45th, six shots behind leader Mason Armstrong (62).

Russell is playing on sponsor invitation. He previously attempted to Monday qualify for the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico event in March. He shot 67 and lost in a four-for-one playoff for the final spot.

Beginning at the par-5 No. 10, Russell birdied that hole, then added birdies at Nos. 12, 13 and 14. He climbed as high as a tie for 12th on the leaderboard and was tied for 13th when he parred the last four holes on the back nine to turn at 4-under.

Russell then bogeyed Nos. 2 and 5 and birdied No. 4.

He hit 9 of 13 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, and needed 27 putts.

"I was a little nervous," Russell said during his post-round availability. "I mean, you've got to be nervous on the first tee but you know, it was fun. I eased into the round nicely with the birdie on the first. It made it easy."

Russell was the youngest player in history to earn the American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year in 2023 and became the youngest player to win the Junior Players Championship. When he teed off at Lakewood National, he became the youngest player ever from the First Coast to compete in one of the PGA Tour's sanctioned events.

David Duval played in the 1990 U.S. Open at the age of 18.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Beach resident Miles Russell posts a 68 on Korn Ferry Tour