Who Is Mason Howell? The 18-Year-Old Amateur Playing With Rory McIlroy At The 2026 Masters

Mason Howell is not yet 19, but the Georgia-born amateur is already making a big impression in the game.

Howell, who was born in 2007, is the son of a former Valdosta State University tennis player, but it was golf that caught his interest early on when he would watch TV coverage of the PGA Tour from the age of two or three.

The fascination with the game strengthened as he grew, to the extent that he even dressed as Bobby Jones for Halloween when he was four!

Two years later, he was playing in tournaments, as well as playing several other sports before fully dedicating himself to golf from the age of 12.

During his school years in Florida, he really began making a name for himself, including shooting a 59 at the age of 14.

Howell later played in four editions of the Junior US Amateur between 2022 and 2025, while the latter year marked his Major debut, when he competed in the US Open having come through final qualifying while still at high school.

While he missed the cut at Oakmont, a big highlight was to come later in the year, when he beat Jackson Herrington 7&6 to claim the prestigious US Amateur title to become its third-youngest winner ahead of Tiger Woods.

That win opened up some big doors for the rising star, not least spots at The Masters, the US Open and The Open.

However, before turning his attention to the first of those challenges, at Augusta National, he helped the US Walker Cup team to victory against Great Britain & Ireland, going unbeaten in his three matches.

Seven months later, Howell, who has committed to playing golf in college for the Georgia Bulldogs, was preparing for the next big challenge at The Masters, where he is one of six amateurs in the field.

If he had any nerves ahead of the event, they would surely be jangling when the tee times for the first two rounds were revealed, with Howell playing alongside none other than defending champion Rory McIlroy and Players Champion Cameron Young.

Having said that, Howell and McIlroy have met before, when the amateur was nine at the 2016 Tour Championship.

Ahead of the tournament, he joked: “I've got his ball in my bag right now, one that he gave me in 2016. So, yeah, I'm going to say I'm going to play the first hole with a Nike, which I'm not.

“It says ‘Rors’ on the side. But that would be a power move.”

Regardless of which ball Howell uses, his two rounds with the career Grand Slam winner and Young are sure to give him a priceless insight into what it takes to make it at the top level of the game.

Given his career to date, it appears only a matter of time before he attains a similar level.

Mason Howell Facts

1. Howell was born in Thomasville, Georgia on June 28, 2007.

2. As a 14-year-old, he shot a 13-under 59 at Glen Arven Country Club, the same course Harris English grew up playing.

3. As a high school senior, Howell became the youngest player at the 2025 US Open after winning his local qualifying event with a 64 and then earning co-medallist honors at the Final Qualifying event at Piedmont Driving Club. In the latter, the then-17-year-old shot two rounds of 63 with 18 birdies and 18 pars.

4. Howell claimed the 2025 US Amateur title thanks to a resounding 7&6 victory over Jackson Herrington at The Olympic Club.

5. He went unbeaten in his three matches as the US won the Walker Cup in 2025.