Miles Russell receives exemption into Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Miles Russell (PGA of America Photo)
As the reigning Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, will receive an exemption into the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. The 15-year-old earned the 2023 Rolex Player of the Year award after an outstanding season that included three AJGA victories.
“I am honored to be receiving an exemption into the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. I have dreamt of playing on the PGA TOUR my entire life, and to have that dream come to fruition later this year is a feeling that I cannot describe. I am grateful to the tournament and the AJGA for their partnership, which is allowing me this incredible opportunity.” Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship will reward the boys Rolex Junior Player of the Year with an annual exemption into their PGA TOUR event, further assisting the AJGA in helping grow and develop young men and women on and off the golf course. This partnership provides a direct pathway to the PGA TOUR for the next generation of stars.
“We are delighted to offer Miles an exemption to compete in Bermuda’s PGA TOUR event. We take great pride in welcoming golf’s future stars to compete on the biggest stage. This is an opportunity Miles will not soon forget. We wish him the very best of luck and take pride in the fact that Bermuda will be his first start on the PGA TOUR,” said Tournament Director of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Danielle Carrera.
To begin the season, Russell claimed back-to-back victories at TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star and Moon Golf Junior All-Star. To close out his impressive year, Russell earned two more wins at the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship and The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex.
Recently, Russell has excelled on the national stage. He made history this past week as the youngest player to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour before becoming the youngest player ever to finish in the top 25 at a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event.
The AJGA began hosting the annual Butterfield Bermuda Junior Championship presented by Digicel at Port Royal Golf Course in 2023. The event’s inaugural champions were Dylan Bingwen Ma of (China) Jacksonville, Florida and Ein Kim of (South Korea) Irvine, California. The event included players from 20 states, nine countries and three Bermuda natives.
Clark Sonnenberg of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Carlee Meilleur of Lansdowne, Canada, were crowned champions of the 2024 event. Sonnenberg and Meilleur each earned their first career AJGA victories. The tournament included five Bermuda natives, seven countries and 18 states represented.
During both tournaments, Oliver Betschart of Warwick, Bermuda, earned the low-Bermudian honors. At 15 years old, Betschart made his PGA TOUR debut in the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Betschart carded a final round 68 at a local qualifying event to earn his way into the field.
“The AJGA is excited to offer a PGA TOUR exemption to our Rolex Player of the Year,” said Patrick Cansfield, Director of development of the AJGA. We are proud to partner with the PGA TOUR and Butterfield Bermuda Championship to help our juniors grow on and off the golf course. This exemption will provide increased exposure and experience for our top boy. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Bermuda Tourism Authority and Bermuda Golf Association for many years to come.”