High School Junior Qualifies For U.S. Open And Gives Awesome Shoutout To His Parents
Mason Howell carded a pair of 63s to qualify for next week's U.S. Open.
Part of the magic of the U.S. Open is the stories we get year after year out of the final qualifying sites two weeks out from the major championship, and 2025 delivered yet again.
Among the many cool stories to come out of Monday's ‘Longest Day in Golf' is 17-year-old Mason Howell earning a spot in the year's third major championship. The high school junior out of Thomasville, Georgia, carded a pair of 63s to tie for medalist honors at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta.
Max Homa Narrowly Misses Out On Qualifying For U.S. Open After Carrying His Own Bag For 38 Holes
Posting 18-under over 36 holes only to tie for first place shows how insanely deep these fields of players are trying to qualify for the U.S. Open, but Howell will certainly take a share of first to play in a U.S. Open. Professional Jackson Buchanan matched Howell's two 63s to tie him atop the leaderboard.
After punching his ticket to Oakmont, Howell caught up with Golf Channel to reflect on his day, and the young man gave an awesome shutout to his parents, who were there to soak in the memorable moment as well.
"I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous," Howell said. "Hugging my mom and my dad walking off 18 green, just a feeling I don’t know I’ll feel again, but that was one of the greatest moments of my life."
Howell, who ranks 126th in Data Golf's amateur rankings, committed to play college golf at Georgia in September 2024 as he'll look to join the long list of former Bulldogs to make it on the PGA Tour after college.
While qualifying for a U.S. Open at 17 years old is an impressive feat, Howell is ‘old’ compared to the youngest player to ever qualify for the major championship, as Andy Zhang managed to do so at just 14 years old back in 2012.