SAN FRANCISCO — Georgia teenager Mason Howell capped a productive summer before his senior year of high school by winning the U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club on Sunday just two months after competing in his first U.S. Open.<\/p>\n
Howell, who turned 18 in June, raced out to a big lead over Tennessee teenager Jackson Herrington on the opening 18 holes and went on to win the 36-hole final 7 and 6 to surpass Tiger Woods and become the third youngest U.S. Amateur champion ever. Only Byeong Hun An, who won at age 17 in 2009, and Danny Lee, who won a month after his 18th birthday in 2008, were younger.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all jumbled together,\u201d Howell said of his emotions. \u201cIt\u2019s been such a great week. To have my name next to these other names on this trophy is unbelievable. To be next to somebody named Tiger is an unreal feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howell won it with a par to halve the 30th hole, ending the most-lopsided final since Bryson DeChambeau also beat Derek Bard 7 and 6 in 2015. The win earned Howell invitations to the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open next year. He also got a spot in the Walker Cup matches down the coast at Cypress Point in September.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I always had it,” Howell said of his play this summer. “It\u2019s self-belief. I knew it was in me. I just needed to walk with some confidence and I think that would translate to good golf and staying positive.<\/p>\n
This was the first U.S. Amateur final featuring two teenagers since Matt Fitzpatrick bested Oliver Goss in 2013 and Howell showed the composure of a much more experienced golfer by repeatedly making clutch putts while Herrington made repeated mistakes.<\/p>\n
Howell won 11 holes, eight of them with pars. He also responded after all four holes he lost, winning the following hole each time.<\/p>\n
Howell burst onto the scene when he qualified for the U.S. Open this year with rounds of 63-63 from the Atlanta sectional. He failed to make the cut at Oakmont but used that experience this week at The Olympic Club. <\/p>\n
He was one of 17 players to advance from a 20-man playoff to make the match play portion of the tournament, where he won all six matches.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I have known how good he is for a long time,\u201d said his father, Robert Howell. \u201cHe\u2019s had a phenomenal breakout summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howell won five of six holes on the front nine of the opening 18 holes \u2014 including an eagle at No. 7 \u2014 to take a four-hole lead. He increased the lead to five with a birdie on the par-5 16th hole as his steady putting helped keep Herrington at bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one thing we really wanted to start off with today was get the lead through nine,” Howell said. “We got off to such a good start. I wanted to keep my foot on the gas, but I didn\u2019t want to do anything dumb. I knew if I hit it to a lot of the center of the greens and two-putted that would be good enough.”<\/p>\n
Herrington closed the first 18 with a birdie on the par-5 18th to get back within four. But he then bogeyed the first three holes after the lunch break to fall down by six and never really threatened the rest of the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe played good, and I didn\u2019t play great,\u201d Herrington said. \u201cIt was unfortunate I was that way, but I learned a lot about myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howell now gets ready for his senior year of high school \u2014 which started this past week \u2014 before he is set to start college at the University of Georgia in 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, I still have to go sit in a classroom for eight hours these coming months,\u201d Howell said. \u201cJust got to soak this up and really enjoy this one with friends and family.\u201d <\/p>\n
The 19-year-old Herrington is about to start his sophomore season in college at Tennessee. <\/p>\n
This is the fourth U.S. Amateur to be held at The Olympic Club. Charles Coe (1958), Nathaniel Crosby (1981) and Cole Knost (2007) won the others.<\/p>\n
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