Russell to Meet Cowan in First Round of U.S. Amateur at Merion

On Aug. 12, the U.S. Amateur match-play field opens at Merion Country Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where Jacksonville Beach’s Miles Russell will meet Oklahoma senior Ryder Cowan in the first round. Russell entered as the sixth seed after a tie for fifth in the 36-hole qualifier, while Cowan secured his place by birdieing the first hole of a 16-for-11 playoff. Both amateurs recently shone at the U.S. Open—Cowan tied for 23rd as the low amateur and Russell finished tied for 39th—and earlier this summer they faced each other in a sectional qualifier, with Cowan advancing and Russell defeating pro Tyler Collet.

Russell, a 17-year-old verbal commit to Florida State for 2027, has previously reached the U.S. Junior Amateur championship match and the Western Amateur semifinals. Their match tees off at 1:50 p.m., with live coverage on Peacock and one outlet’s cable channels throughout the tournament.