On a Friday when Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns torched Royal Birkdale with record-tying 62s, the amateur class ran out of road — and nobody came closer to the weekend than U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell, whose 1-under 69 left him at 2 over, a single agonizing shot outside the cut line.
Howell did nearly everything required of him. After an opening 71, the 19-year-old Georgian became one of the few players in the field to break 70 on Friday, but the number never moved his way. Howell's wait for a made cut in a major continues — though his week still stamps him as the class of this amateur field.
Round-by-Round Updates
Friday · Round 2 — Cut Day
Howell's 69 was the round of the week among the amateurs who started the day with a chance, but it wasn't quite enough on a day when the course gave up historically low numbers to the professionals. Herbert and Burns both posted 8-under 62s to match the championship's single-round scoring record, dragging the leading edge of the field — and the cut line — away from the chasers.
Ruiter authored the amateurs' low round of the day, a 2-under 68 that was six shots better than his opening effort but couldn't undo Thursday's 76. Grehan showed similar fight with a 69 after an opening 77. On the other side of the ledger, Thursday's amateur pacesetter Grinberg saw his week unravel with a 6-over card through 13 holes, while Laopakdee endured a bruising two days, sliding to 12 over.
Howard, the Audi mechanic from Ireland playing with house money in his first major, gave fans of the amateur game one last thread of hope — 1 under through 4 holes in the day's final wave, needing 2 under across his closing 14 to reach the projected number. It's a long shot on a course that firmed up through the afternoon.
Thursday · Round 1
Grinberg set the early amateur clubhouse mark with a 1-over 71, a round that kept the 18-year-old inside the projected cut line and at the front of the Silver Medal race. Howell and Buchanan matched him at 1 over from the afternoon wave, with the trio sitting T58 overnight. De Castro Piera (73), Howard (73) and Wiedemeyer (73) formed the middle of the pack, while Grehan (77) and Ruiter (76) faced uphill Fridays.
The 10 Amateurs of the 154th Open
Mason Howell (USA, 19) — The reigning U.S. Amateur champion and the first to use the Open exemption since 2015. Low amateur of the week at 2 over, one shot shy of ending the medal drought.
David Howard (Ireland, 25) — Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 7, the Audi mechanic played his first major with a purpose beyond the leaderboard — and fought deepest into cut day of anyone behind Howell.
Nevill Ruiter (Netherlands, 24) — European Amateur runner-up who earned his spot through Final Qualifying anyway, then fired the amateurs' low round of the week, a Friday 68.
Jack Buchanan (South Africa, 21) — The Africa Amateur champion and USC Trojan returned to Birkdale nine years after attending the 2017 Open as a 12-year-old fan.
Alejandro de Castro Piera (Spain, 21) — The 2026 Big West golfer of the year at Long Beach State came through Final Qualifying for his first major start.
Stuart Grehan (Ireland, 33) — Reinstated amateur, Walker Cupper and British Amateur champion; a financial advisor whose Friday 69 showed the game that won at Royal Liverpool.
Tim Wiedemeyer (Germany, 21) — The world No. 10 amateur and European Amateur champion carded back-to-back 73s in his first Open.
Mateo Pulcini (Argentina, 25) — The oldest LAAC champion ever completed the exemption trifecta of Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship starts in a single year.
Lev Grinberg (Ukraine, 18) — The first Ukrainian-born player in Open history led the amateurs after Thursday's 71 before a difficult Friday.
Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand, 21) — The Asia-Pacific Amateur champion and Arizona State product found Birkdale's teeth over two long days.
