High School Junior Mason Howell Qualifies for 2025 U.S. Open

Seventeen-year-old Mason Howell, a high school junior from Thomasville, Georgia, has qualified for the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club after an extraordinary performance in the final qualifying round at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta. Howell shot an impressive 18-under-par with consecutive rounds of 63, finishing first and outperforming seasoned professionals, including 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson by 10 strokes. Known as "Golf's Longest Day," the qualifier involves playing two full rounds in a single day, a challenge Howell navigated flawlessly without a bogey, capped by a birdie on the 18th hole. Despite his youth, Howell has an extensive golf background, having started playing at age three and competing since six, and he has committed to play college golf at the University of Georgia. His achievement marks a significant milestone as he prepares to compete among the world's best in one of golf's toughest majors, which features the highest purse among the four majors. Howell's qualification continues the tradition of remarkable stories emerging from U.S. Open qualifiers and highlights his potential to become a future star in professional golf.