OAKMONT, Pa. — From a very young age, Mason Howell displayed a deep passion for golf. At just four years old, for Halloween, he chose to dress not as a modern golf star like Tiger Woods or Rickie Fowler, but as the legendary 1920s champion Bobby Jones, complete with traditional knickers, tall socks, and a flat cap.
“It truly is all he ever wants to do,” shared his father, Robb Howell. “He`d rather be doing this than eating or sleeping, and certainly rather than going to school. He just wants to play golf.”
This week, the 17-year-old will have the opportunity to compete on one of golf`s grandest stages: the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. He holds the distinction of being the youngest golfer in the 156-player field.
“It just goes to show that the hard work really pays off,” Howell commented. “All those days sweating in the heat of south Georgia in the middle of summer, hitting countless balls and trying to sink putts—it was a lot of dedication. This whole experience is completely unlike anything I`ve ever encountered before; it`s absolutely incredible.”
Howell`s dream moment begins Thursday morning at 8:46 a.m. ET, when he is scheduled to tee off from the 10th hole at Oakmont alongside Chris Gotterup and DP World Tour professional Joakim Lagergren.
Howell earned his place in the field convincingly. On May 8, he was a co-medalist in local qualifying held at Hawkstone Country Club in Gainesville, Florida, carding an impressive 7-under 64.
In the final qualifying round at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, Howell played 36 holes without a single bogey, posting two rounds of 9-under 63. He finished as co-medalist alongside Jackson Buchanan, a former Illinois standout and 2024 U.S. Amateur semifinalist.
That demanding field also included past major champions like Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner, as well as numerous PGA Tour players such as Will Chandler, Hayden Buckley, and Greyson Sigg.
“I`m surprised he performed that well under that kind of pressure, but I`m not surprised he can make that many birdies,” Robb Howell stated. “I`ve seen him do it often. I`ve seen him shoot 60 or 61 on our home course multiple times.”
Remarkably, Howell shot a 13-under 59 at Glen Arven Country Club in his hometown of Thomasville, Georgia, when he was just 14 years old.
His parents, Robb and Lauren Howell, gave Mason his first set of clubs when he was five. He entered his first tournament the following year. By the age of 12, he had stopped playing tennis and baseball to focus exclusively on golf.
Howell joined the varsity golf team as a sixth grader at the Maclay School in Tallahassee, Florida.
“He was 12 years old, playing against high school students,” his father recalled. “They`d walk to the first tee, and an 18-year-old might look at this kid and think, `Gosh, I`m going to dominate him.` Then, after just three holes, they`d find themselves four shots behind.”
Since eighth grade, Howell has been a key member of the varsity squad at the Brookwood School in Thomasville. In April, Brookwood School won its fourth Georgia Independent Athletic Association state title in the last five years, with Howell claiming the individual state championship after winning a playoff.
Howell was ranked 470th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking prior to U.S. Open qualifying. He won his age group at the 2022 Future Masters in Dothan, Alabama, a tournament previously won by future Masters champions Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler during their junior careers. Howell also finished first in the 2023 Billy Horschel Junior Championships and reached match play in the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur.
“He is an unbelievable talent, and he genuinely loves it,” said Brookwood School coach Jimmy Gillam. “He works incredibly hard, and that`s what I admire most. He doesn`t dwell on his successes; he puts them aside and looks forward to the next challenge.”
Gillam, who also works as an assistant teaching professional at Glen Arven Country Club, remembers Howell calling him one cold December morning a couple of years ago, eager for a chipping lesson. Gillam told him there was a frost delay and they`d have to wait for it to warm up.
“I`m on my way,” Howell replied. “I`m ready now.”
Gillam is serving as Howell`s caddie this week. A native of Altoona, Pennsylvania, Gillam won the 2018 Western Pennsylvania Open at Oakmont himself. He competed on mini-tours until a back injury ended his playing career.
Gillam described Howell as “one of the best putters I`ve ever witnessed.” Howell typically drives the ball around 305 yards and hits a 7-iron approximately 195 yards.
“It`s like playing a video game when you`re working with him,” Gillam commented. “He picks things up so quickly. This will be a fantastic test for him. He`s going to learn a lot about himself and how to play very disciplined golf, because if you get too aggressive out here, you`ll pay for it dearly.”
Howell played practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday with five-time PGA Tour winner Harris English. English also spent part of his youth in Thomasville and played junior golf at Glen Arven.
“He`s terrific,” English said. “He`s far better than I was at 17. I can`t imagine playing in this event just before starting your senior year of high school. He possesses all the necessary skills: he`s long off the tee, he can control the trajectory of his shots, and he seems to be a good wedge player. He has the complete package.”
Howell, who is entering his senior year at Brookwood School, has committed to play college golf at the University of Georgia starting in 2026, which is also English`s alma mater. Howell`s older sister, Meg, is currently a junior at Georgia, and his mother is a UGA graduate. His father, Robb Howell, attended Georgia`s law school.
“As I told him this week, the main thing is gaining experience,” English shared. “He`s likely going to play in many of these events throughout his career, and the sooner you can get comfortable playing in front of crowds, on courses like this, the better. For him, the experience itself is incredible; he should just soak it all in and not be too hard on himself. After all, he`s still very young.”
Howell is well aware that Oakmont Country Club`s challenging 5-inch rough and incredibly fast greens will test even the world`s top golfers. His primary goals are to make the 36-hole cut and to earn low amateur honors, following in the footsteps of golf legends like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, and Viktor Hovland.
“I know he`s here to compete,” English said. “I know he wants to make the cut. He wants to have a chance to contend, but this course represents the toughest test in golf, and we don`t encounter conditions like this very often. This is his first time experiencing it. So, he will learn a tremendous amount about himself and his game. Seeing this level of competition is a fantastic learning opportunity for him.”
Reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau also offered some valuable advice for Howell: “Just be appreciative, that`s key.”
“When I was 17, I was so intensely focused on becoming the best player I could be that I overlooked how amazing it was just to be traveling around the country playing golf,” said DeChambeau, who made his U.S. Open debut as a 21-year-old in 2015. “I lost a bit of that perspective.”
If Howell successfully makes the cut, he would become the third-youngest golfer to achieve this feat in the U.S. Open since World War II. Beau Hossler (17 years, 3 months old) tied for 29th as an amateur in 2012, and Michael Thorbjornsen (17 years, 8 months old) finished 79th in 2019.
Mason Howell is set to celebrate his 18th birthday on June 28.
“It`s pretty incredible for parents to witness their child`s dream come true, you know?” Robb Howell remarked. “That`s what my wife and I are experiencing right before our eyes right now, which feels very special. All he has ever wanted to do is play golf, and he has aspired to be a professional golfer his entire life.”
Jasper Hawthorne