By Mary Frances Cassidy
As July marked the beginning of a new school year, it’s doubtful Ballentine Elementary School fourth grade teacher Tia McQueen anticipated the shared excitement she and her students would soon experience, tracking the leaderboard of the 2025 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship. Especially since golf isn’t usually very interesting when you’re a fourth grader — unless, of course, your classmate happens to be Miles Biber, and he’s competing against the very best junior golfers in the world. Then, not only does he compete, he advances to become the third-ranked nine-year-old golfer in the world, and number one in the United States! .
Meet Miles! He’s a young man whose bright disposition conveys an uncommon blend of modesty and self-confidence. In addition to his amazing achievements on the golf course, when asked about his interests, he’s equally as happy to talk about his activities: swimming, flag football, baseball, basketball, “a little bit of soccer,” and his favorite school subject, math. Miles, whose extensive travels are due in part to his mother Laura’s deployment with the United States Air Force, has lived in several states. Their family’s opportunities have taken them from his birthplace in Utah, to Missouri, California, and currently, North Carolina; but geography, ironically, is his least favorite subject.
To qualify for an invitation to “Worlds,” a golfer must first compete in at least four sanctioned local tour events. Top performers are awarded priority status, increasing their eligibility to participate in state, regional, and national tournaments, hoping to earn a coveted spot in the prestigious championship. Remarkably, this was Miles’ third invitation to the three-day event held annually in Pinehurst, NC, often referred to as the “Home of American Golf.” Pre-tournament celebrations begin with an opening ceremony, the highlight of which is the spectacular Parade of Nations. The procession starts at the Pinehurst Resort’s Carolina Hotel, with cheering spectators lining the streets of Pinehurst Village to welcome 1,400 young golfers representing over 50 nations and 47 states. Following the parade, golfers participate in various fun activities together, allowing them to connect with their peers from around the globe. This unique opportunity provides an unparalleled experience for the kids, before the highly anticipated competition gets underway.
Miles follows a fairly consistent routine before tournament play, beginning with a warm-up on the driving range. He concentrates on his driver, irons, and wedges before transitioning to the putting green for chipping and putting practice, until it’s time to tee-off. On the first day of play, Miles had a spectacular start to his round, beginning with a 10 a.m. tee time, and shooting three under par by the fifth hole. “But the sixth hole is cursed,” said Miles, laughing. “In the three days I played, I was three over par — I doubled it the first day, bogeyed it the second day, and parred it on day three.” Undeterred, he continued on, eventually sinking a 60-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole, much to the delight of the crowd. But no one was more thrilled than his caddy — his father, Josh. Miles shot a 71 in total, finishing the day one under par, placing eleventh in the standings.
Day two was especially hot, and after practicing some putting, Miles teed off at 1:30 p.m. Maintaining his composure and consistency, he finished the round once again with a 71, this time, tied for sixth place.
Day three brought an additional challenge; it was raining and about 70 degrees, but the golfers played through. The top scorers teed off first, and by the eighth hole, Miles realized he was not going to come in first, nor was he sure he’d make the top five. “But you really don’t know what’s going on behind you,” said Josh Biber. “There’s no digital scoreboard.” After playing, Miles and about 10 other golfers were having a fun game of knockout putting while waiting for results to be posted. “It’s not instantaneous,” said Josh. “So, we were all refreshing our phones on the tournament’s website, and finally they posted the scores all at once. Miles had no idea yet, so we walked over to where he was playing and I just held up my phone and said, ‘Hey buddy, you finished third!’ and I gave him a big hug on the putting green.”
Ultimately, Miles finished as the world’s number three nine-year-old golfer and the top nine-year-old golfer in the United States. Additionally, he had the distinction of being the only competitor to shoot under par all three days, with a final score of 70. Following dinner and a little time to decompress, it was on to the awards ceremony where Miles was recognized for his achievement and presented with a trophy.
Josh Biber wasn’t the only one continually refreshing his phone, awaiting the tournament’s results that afternoon. Ms. McQueen, back in Fuquay-Varina, had been monitoring the website hourly. “When it was over, and I realized he came in third, I sent a message to my class parents, and they all went wild! We are all so proud of Miles! He’s intelligent but kind, talented but humble. He’s the best kind of student and classmate.”
Success followed throughout the remainder of the year. In the fall, Miles finished second at the Colonial Williamsburg Classic, sponsored by U.S. Kids Golf, before going on to win the Drip Golf Tour’s 12 and under division at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh. Locally, he continues practicing and playing at his home course, Bentwinds Country Club, where he clinched the Junior Club Championship for his age group and was named Junior Golfer of the Year. And after a fun season of flag football, he’s off to a spring vacation in Hawaii, excited to take on the challenging terrain of Plantation Course at Kapalua, Maui, in addition to a tee time at Pinehurst Resort’s No.10 — its newest course in nearly three decades.
This July, Miles will be making his much-anticipated return to the 2026 U.S. Kids World Championship, eager to build upon last year’s experience and performance. Despite his incredible achievements on the greens, he remains a very grounded and well-rounded young man with diverse interests. Supported by his family, his primary goal is to simply “have fun and a good attitude.”
Congratulations on your continued success, Miles, and whatever the future holds, Fuquay-Varina is rooting for you!
