SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Miles Russell had quite a Father's Day gift for his dad: the chance to be caddie in his son's U.S. Open debut.
The 17-year-old amateur surprised his father, Joe, on the 18th hole Sunday when his caddie brought Russell's clubs to him outside the ropes to carry them the rest of the way.
“It was kind of a fun Father’s Day gift,” Miles Russell said. “Kind of cool since it was my first one. Hopefully it’s something he’ll remember for a long time.”
Russell had Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods' son and his future teammate at Florida State, carrying the bag for him when he advanced to the U.S. Open through a 36-hole qualifying tournament earlier this month.
Ramon Bescansa was on the bag for Russell at Shinnecock Hills — but only for 71 1/2 holes.
As Russell walked toward the 18th green, Bescansa turned toward the ropes and found Joe Russell. He placed the bag down just inside the ropes and removed his caddie bib and handed it to Joe, who put it on.
According to the NBC broadcast, Miles Russell asked a USGA rules official in the morning if he would be allowed to make the switch and was given permission. Joe Russell was not aware of the plan.
Miles Russell smiled widely as his father caught up to him and they walked up to the green.
Russell tapped in for par to finish off an even-par 70 in the final round. After becoming the second-youngest male amateur since World War II to play the weekend at the U.S. Open, he finished at 7 over for the tournament while being paired the final two rounds with fellow amateur Jackson Koivun, who led Auburn to two NCAA championships and is about to turn pro.
“It was a pretty special week,” Russell said. “Just to be here was really special, and to make the cut was kind of bonus points. I didn’t quite have my best stuff the last two days, but still really cool. Just a great experience.”
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Miles Russell hits from the fairway on the third hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Thursday, June 18, 2026.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Miles Russell walks off the green on the third hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Friday, June 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Miles Russell hits from the fairway on the first hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Thursday, June 18, 2026.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
It's been talked about ever since Serena Williams announced nearly three weeks ago that she was returning to professional tennis after almost four years away from the sport.
Still, seeing the single-sentence announcement from The All England Club that the 23-time Grand Slam champion will play singles at Wimbledon was stunning nonetheless.
“Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies’ singles wild card,” read the key line in Sunday's announcement.
At age 44, Williams will actually play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon after already accepting a wild card for the doubles competition with older sister Venus.
“This is not a drill,” Wimbledon said on its social media accounts Sunday.
Commented the WTA Tour, “Name a more iconic return…we’ll wait.”
Wimbledon held open the eighth and final women's singles wild card spot until Williams made up her mind. As recently as earlier this week after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared to be waffling over the decision.
“Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she replied when she was told there was still a wild card spot open. Wild cards are special invitations handed out by tournament organizers, which allow former champions and others access to the main draw without the necessary entry qualifications. But then she mused about her readiness for it.
“Do you think I’m ready for singles?” she asked a reporter and then turned to doubles partner Karolina Muchova to ask what she thought.
“I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player responded.
“That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wonder why there’s — I don’t know.”
Well, now that Williams has made up her mind, the big remaining question is how she can physically handle singles play after so long.
Serena’s most-recent singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis.
Of Williams' 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, seven have come at Wimbledon. She’s also won 14 Grand Slams in doubles, all with Venus, and six of them at Wimbledon.
Serena also swept the singles and doubles (with Venus) titles at the 2012 London Olympics, when the tennis competition was held on the hallowed grass of the All England Club.
Wimbledon starts in eight days.
Serena won a doubles match with partner Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club last week but then the pair had to withdraw after Mboko injured her knee in a singles match.
In another doubles match at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, Serena and Muchova were beaten by Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.
As of Sunday, Serena had not entered the singles draws of any grass-court tuneup tournaments before Wimbledon.
She will learn who her first-round opponent is on Friday when the singles draws for Wimbledon are held.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serena Williams of the U.S. tosses the ball in the air to serve as she and Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova play during their round of 16 doubles match against New Zealand's Erin Routliffe and Mexico's Giuliana Olmo during the WTA 500 Berlin Open tennis tournament at Steffi Graf Stadium, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Serena Williams of the United States, hits a return as she and playing partner Victoria Mboko of Canada play against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand during their first round doubles match at the Queen's Club tennis championships in London, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
FILE -Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams of the U.S hold their trophies after winning the women's doubles final against Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazahkstan and Timea Babos of Hungary on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)
Serena Williams of the U.S. returns the ball as she and Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova play during their round of 16 doubles match against New Zealand's Erin Routliffe and Mexico's Giuliana Olmo during the WTA 500 Berlin Open tennis tournament at Steffi Graf Stadium, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Serena Williams of the U.S. tosses the ball in the air to serve as she and Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova play during their round of 16 doubles match against New Zealand's Erin Routliffe and Mexico's Giuliana Olmo during the WTA 500 Berlin Open tennis tournament at Steffi Graf Stadium, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
