Howell, 18, wins U.S. Amateur; youngest since '09

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.

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.

"It's all jumbled together," Howell said of his emotions. "It's 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."

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.

"I felt like I always had it," Howell said of his play this summer. "It's 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."

This was the first U.S. Amateur final featuring two teenagers since Matt Fitzpatrick bested Oliver Goss in 2013. Howell showed the composure of a much more experienced golfer by repeatedly making clutch putts while Herrington made repeated mistakes.

Howell won 11 holes, eight of them with pars. He also responded after all four holes he lost, winning the following hole each time.

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.

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.

"Honestly, I have known how good he is for a long time," said his father, Robert Howell. "He's had a phenomenal breakout summer."

Howell won five of six holes on the front nine of the opening 18 holes -- including an eagle at No. 7 -- 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.

"That's 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't 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."

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.

"He played good, and I didn't play great," Herrington said. "It was unfortunate I was that way, but I learned a lot about myself."

Howell now gets ready for his senior year of high school -- which started this past week -- before he is set to start college at the University of Georgia in 2026.

"At the end of the day, I still have to go sit in a classroom for eight hours these coming months," Howell said. "Just got to soak this up and really enjoy this one with friends and family."

The 19-year-old Herrington is about to start his sophomore season in college at Tennessee.

This is the fourth U.S. Amateur to be held at The Olympic Club. Charles Coe (1958), Nathaniel Crosby (1981) and Colt Knost (2007) won the others.