Mason Howell needed just 30 of the scheduled 36 holes to defeat Jackson Herrington 7 and 6 in the Finals, clinching the 2025 U.S. Amateur title at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. The emphatic victory made him the third-youngest champion in the tournament’s storied history, surpassing Tiger Woods, who claimed the crown at 18 years, 7 months, and 29 days in 1994. With the prestigious trophy in hand, Howell now has his sights set on an even bigger milestone—and he recently opened up about it in a YouTube conversation with Dan Rapaport.
The young golfer joined the Dan on Golf podcast, where he was asked how he feels to represent his country in the Walker Cup. The 18-year-old replied, “It’s unbelievable. That’s something I wasn’t even thinking about coming into the week. Obviously, you’re thinking about winning. I didn’t even know the winner got an automatic spot. But when I was told that after my quarterfinal match, I was like, making the final match is awesome. So many perks go with it, but that gives you so much more incentive to get the job done.”
As Mason confessed, he only found out about the automatic qualification after his intense battle against John Daly II. The two young golfers shared many blows across the 18 holes before Howell narrowly won it by 1 point. As he was preparing to battle Eric Lee, he had a renewed motivation to fight harder in the event: the Walker Cup qualification. Howell ran through Lee within 16 holes, then took out Herrington in 30 holes to book his ticket to the Cypress Point Club at Pebble Beach in California. The tournament will be played from September 6-7, 2025.
The squad representing the USA at Cypress Point pic.twitter.com/sDUAmASWUA
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) August 18, 2025
Who else will be joining Mason Howell to represent the United States squad against the U.K. & Ireland in the next few weeks? Let’s look at the rest of the American side.
Who are Mason Howell’s teammates at Cypress playing for Team USA?
With his 2025 U.S. Amateur win, Mason Howell confirmed his place in the Team USA squad. He will also be joined by Ethan Fang, who earned himself a spot by winning the Amateur Championship and the National Championship at Oklahoma State. Experienced Mid-Am player, 34-year-old Stewart Hagestad, will also be a part of the squad. The golfer who has consistently remained top 5 in the amateur rankings, Ben James, will also be a part of the Team USA squad.
Alternatively, Jackson Koivun, who is the world’s #1 amateur golfer, will also be a part of the team at Pebble Beach. The reigning NCAA champion, Michael La Sasso, is also a part of the squad. Jacob Modleski earned his spot by winning the ACC Individual title and remaining consistent throughout the season. Tommy Morrison, who apparently sounds like Scottie Scheffler, will also be joining Mason Howell. World no. 4, Preston Stout, is also a part of the team. Lastly, Jase Summy, who won the Western AM, will be in California on September 6 & 7, 2025. To the surprise of many fans and experts, Miles Russell has not qualified for the team.
Beyond the Walker Cup, the U.S. Amateur win has also helped Mason Howell qualify for three majors in 2026. He will be a part of the field for the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship next year.
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