There have been only a few players who created a legacy of winning against Tiger Woods. One of them was John Daly, who, despite his unconventional ways, won against the GOAT. Now, his son, John Daly II, is carrying that legacy forward in his amateur career, drawing much of the same fanfare thanks to his family name. But while Daly Jr. has inherited the spotlight, another young golfer, Mason Howell from South Georgia, has built his own story of resilience—one forged not from legacy, but from battling doubt and adversity head-on.
Recently, at the US Amateur Championship, Howell was paired with Daly II for the quarterfinals. Howell not only played his best but also did not offer any chance to Daly II for taking the lead. Starting from the first hole, he took the lead, and despite several tries, Daly II was able to tie the score. In fact, he played against the support of fans and the family legacy of Daly’s. Sharing that feeling, he shared briefly during the press conference after the match.
The moderator asked him, “US Junior am medalist Mason Howell makes feelings clear after beating John Daly II amid a lack of support.” Answering that, he said, “We knew John was going to make birdie. He’s such a good player. Total respect for his game. I knew I needed a good one. He was coming off momentum on 17. We got pretty aggressive, and it paid off.” Both golfers played great with zero bogeys. Till the 14th hole, Daly came close and tied the score with his birdie. But on the 14th, the birdie from Howell pushed him into the lead and offered him a chance to win over the legendary golfer’s son. He continued to create pressure and play aggressively, which, as a result, led to the last four holes with a par finish, continuing the lead.
The exceptional performance came against the crowd’s support. Asking for which, the moderator questioned his approach, “That crowd was pro-Daly pretty much the entire day. How do you deal with it?” Talking about that, the amateur golfer made a bold claim for the crowd. He said, “His family has so much legacy, I understand it. I’m just a boy from South Georgia. No, but I hope a lot of people got their eyes opened to my golf game today.” The youngest player at the 2025 US Open has had multiple wins in his career. The list includes, Georgia Independent Athletic Association’s individual state title, the Billy Horschel Junior Championship, and more.
Now, with him, playing against all odds and proving to the crowd about his presence, the golfer has shared his unbeatable mentality. Now, with his Quarterfinal win, he is placed well in contention for the finals, as he is just one step away. For the Semis, he will be playing against the World No. 29 in the amateur standings.
Mason Howell’s a strong competitor for the semi-finals
After beating John Daly II in a close yet unexpected match, the golfer is now one step away from the finals of the US Amateur Championship. With four golfers standing on the second-to-last stage, the South Georgia native will tee off against Eric Lee. Similar to Howell, the California native has showcased great performance from an early age. He won his first AJGA tournament in 2021 at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. Following that, he was selected for Team USA at the Junior Presidents Cup and was also named the AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year 2022.
Not just that, but he showcased great performance in the quarterfinals. He was paired with Miles Russell, who has earned great respect with his game at a young age. In fact, Russell, as expected, was leading till the 12 hole. But Lee’s resilience pushed him with two back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to take the lead. After that, he continued to maintain his lead and showcase a clutch performance to enter the Semis.
Now with the two golfers in form and exceptional performance records, it will be interesting to see who will take the next step forward. Who, according to you, will win? Share your picks with us in the comments below.
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