Masters And US Open Low Amateur Neal Shipley To Make PGA Tour Debut At Rocket Mortgage Classic

Neal Shipley, who earned low amateur honors at this year’s Masters and US Open, will make his PGA Tour debut at next week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.

After turning professional at the conclusion of the US Open, having secured a PGA Tour Americas card through Q-School a week prior, Shipley received a sponsor exemption to the Rocket Mortgage Classic and will tee off at his first official PGA Tour event next Thursday. 

It continues a rapid rise for the 23-year-old Pittsburgh native, who had a successful collegiate career at James Maddison and Ohio State University, finishing second in the 2023 US Amateur behind PGA Tour rookie, Nick Dunlap. 

Shipley capped off his amateur career with a T53 at the Masters and T26 at the US Open, becoming just the sixth player in history to win low amateur honors at both Majors in the same year. In the process, he joined Ken Venturi, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar and Viktor Hovland.

Making his pro debut this week at the Beachlands Victoria Open in Canada, where he made the cut and is in a tie for 32nd after the first two rounds, three other amateurs from last week’s US Open have also received sponsorship invites to the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Amongst the invites are Ben James, Jackson Koivun and Luke Clanton, who was Shipley’s closest competitor for low amateur honors at Pinehurst No.2.

Also in the field is 15-year-old sensation Miles Russell, who in April became the youngest player to make a cut in Korn Ferry Tour history.

Russell, who is the top-ranked junior golfer in the world, received a sponsor exemption last month and will become one of the youngest players to make their PGA Tour debut. That record belongs to Michelle Wie West, who played at the 2004 Sony Open at the age of 14 years, 3 months and 4 days.

"The Rocket Mortgage Classic is known as a tournament where future stars start," tournament director Jason Langwell said after announcing Russell's exemption. "We certainly put Miles in that category. He's going to be one of the youngest players ever to make his PGA Tour debut."

Amongst the big names in the field are defending champion Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Will Zalatoris, Min Woo Lee, Robert MacIntyre and Nicolai Hojgaard.