Miles Russell endures marathon day at U.S. Junior Amateur, winning twice on the 18th hole

After an abbreviated day to start U.S. Junior Amateur match play, Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach went the distance on Thursday — twice.

The 15-year-old won his second- and third-round matches at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., turning back Billy Davis of Spring Valley, Calif., and C.J. Winchenbaugh of Weston, Mass., by the same 2-up scores.

Russell played only 10 holes in the first round, leading opponent Hamilton Coleman by five holes before Coleman conceded the match.

Russell wins the 18th hole twice

Russell had a 1-up lead going to the 18th hole in both matches, then won the final hole outright. He beat Davis with a par and Winchenbaugh with a birdie to earn a quarterfinal berth against Jay Leng of San Diego, who defeated Liam Pasternak 3 and 2 in his third-round match.

In both cases, Russell beat players who are enrolling in college next month, Davis at Auburn and Winchenbaugh at Georgetown. He will face another rising college freshman in Leng, who will enroll at Stanford. Russell's high school graduate date is 2027.

Russell trailed Davis by one hole through six but on the seventh hole on a birdie and the ninth hole with a par to take the lead for good. Russell led by two holes twice, with Davis cutting the lead both times at Nos. 14 and 17.

Russell shot 2-under on his ball at the rugged course, while Davis was even until his closing double.

Russell-Winchenbaugh match was close throughout

Russell's final margin against Winchenbaugh matched the largest lead either player held during the entire match. Winchenbaugh led 2-up through five holes but Russell won the next two holes on birdies and won No. 8 with a par to take the lead.

Winchenbaugh squared the match at No. 9, they split the next two holes and it remained tied until Russell won the 16th hole with a par.

How to watch the U.S. Junior on TV

Russell and Leng will tee off at 7:30 a.m. on Friday. The winner will face the winner of another quarterfinal match between Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Ala., and Matthew Diehl of Redlands, Calif. Watts will be a 2026 high school graduate and Diehl is in incoming freshman at Grand Canyon University.

Should Russell win his morning match, the semifinals will be aired on Peacock from 2-4 p.m. on Friday, and a tape delay will be on Golf Channel from 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

The championship match on Saturday will be on Peacock from 2-4 p.m., with a tape delay on Golf Channel from 10 p.m.-midnight.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Miles Russell endures marathon day at U.S. Junior Amateur, winning twice on the 18th hole