Herrington and Howell Set for U.S. Amateur Final at Olympic Club

SAN FRANCISCO — The 125th U.S. Amateur has delivered a championship match worthy of its history. Jackson Herrington (Tenn.) and Mason Howell (Ga.) will square off Sunday in a 36-hole final on The Olympic Club’s Lake Course for the Havemeyer Trophy.

Herrington, a steady left-hander and eighth-generation Volunteer at the University of Tennessee, edged Scotland’s Niall Shiels Donegan 1 up in the semifinals. The 19-year-old is the youngest Tennessee State Open champion (2024) and a past Tennessee Player of the Year, built on precision and poise.

Howell, 18, is the week’s Cinderella. Seeded 63rd, he chopped down favorites all week, closing with a 3 & 2 semifinal win over Eric Lee. The Georgia native shot 59 at age 14, qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open at 17, and is verbally committed to the University of Georgia for 2026.

Both finalists have already secured invitations to the 2026 Masters and U.S. Open; Sunday decides who joins Jones, Nicklaus, Woods, and Hovland on the U.S. Amateur roll of honor.

Quarterfinal Recap — Final Four Set at The Olympic Club

The 125th U.S. Amateur Championship is down to its final four after a thrilling Friday at The Olympic Club. Niall Shiels Donegan (Scotland) outlasted Jacob Modleski (Noblesville, Ind.) in a tense match that went to the first extra hole, winning on the 19th. Jackson Herrington (Dickson, Tenn.) delivered the day’s most decisive result, a 4-and-2 victory over Jimmy Abdo (Edina, Minn.), sealing the match with two holes to spare.

Mason Howell (Thomasville, Ga.), the 63-seed and Cinderella story of the week, edged John Daly II (Dardanelle, Ark.) 1 up in a back-and-forth battle that wasn’t decided until the 18th green. In the final quarterfinal, Eric Lee (Fullerton, Calif.) survived a strong challenge from Miles Russell (Jacksonville Beach, Fla.), winning 1 up to book his semifinal place.

Saturday’s semifinals will feature Donegan against Herrington at 11:00 a.m. PDT, followed by Howell versus Lee at 11:20 a.m. PDT — two matches that promise a mix of international flair, underdog grit, and elite amateur talent.

The 125th U.S. Amateur is down to its final eight, and the path to the Havemeyer Trophy is narrowing fast. Thursday afternoon’s Round of 16 delivered a mix of wire-to-wire control and clutch escapes, setting up a quarterfinal bracket rich with storylines.

Miles Russell, the 3-seed from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., continued his steady march with a 2 & 1 victory over Mahanth Chirravuri. Russell’s precision iron play once again proved decisive, as he closed out the match without needing the 18th.

John Daly II added another chapter to his breakout week, defeating Daniel Bennett 3 & 2. Daly has shown both patience and firepower, navigating Olympic’s narrow corridors with the same composure he used to upset No. 7 seed Nate Smith earlier in the day.

Mason Howell, the 63-seed from Thomasville, Ga., extended his Cinderella run with a 2 & 1 win over Max Herendeen — the man who eliminated World No. 1 Jackson Koivun in the morning. Howell’s putting under pressure has been lights-out, and his confidence is clearly building.

The afternoon’s only extra-hole drama came from Jackson Herrington, who outlasted Daniel Svärd in 20 holes, sealing the win with a nerveless par on the second playoff hole.

Top seed Preston Stout survived a scare against Niall Shiels Donegan, closing him out 1 up, while Paul Chang advanced with a 2 up win over Jacob Modleski. Jimmy Abdo kept his giant-killer run alive with a gritty 1 up decision over Herrington, and Eric Lee fell 2 up to Josh Duangmanee in a tense finish.

Quarterfinal Matchups

• Niall Shiels Donegan (49) vs. Jacob Modleski (56) — 1:30 p.m.
• Jimmy Abdo (61) vs. Jackson Herrington (37) — 1:45 p.m.
• Mason Howell (63) vs. John Daly II (26) — 2:00 p.m.
• Miles Russell (3) vs. Eric Lee (11) — 2:15 p.m.

With a mix of top seeds, underdogs, and international flair, Friday’s quarterfinals promise an intense fight for a place in the final four.

The morning session at The Olympic Club delivered a jolt: World No. 1 Jackson Koivun was bounced, while John Daly II surged into the afternoon with a marquee upset. Several contenders won big to stake out Round‑of‑16 positioning, and one match headed past regulation.

• ⚠️
  Shock exit: Max Herendeen eliminated World No. 1 Jackson Koivun, 3 & 2.
• 💥
  Headline upset: John Daly II knocked out No. 7 seed Nate Smith, 2 & 1, to reach the Round of 16.
• 🏁
  Statement wins: Eric Lee (6 & 5), Tyler Weaver (6 & 5), Davis Johnson (5 & 3), Jimmy Abdo (4 & 3), and Daniel Svärd (4 & 3) advanced comfortably.
• 😅
  Nail‑biters: Mason Howell edged Ben James, 1 up.
• ⏱️
  Still in progress: Tim Wiedemeyer vs. Josh Duangmanee — Tied through 18.

The afternoon Round of 16 sets up with momentum for Daly II, Lee, Weaver, Johnson and Svärd, while Herendeen carries the day’s biggest scalp into the next match.

Match play opened with clutch putts, extra‑hole escapes, and a couple of seed‑shaking upsets. Thirty‑two players remain as the chase for the Havemeyer Trophy intensifies on the Lake Course.

• ✓
  Top seeds advance: No. 1 Preston Stout and No. 3 Miles Russell both moved on to the Round of 32.
• ⚠️
  Upset watch: No. 4 Logan Reilly fell 1 down to Jimmy Abdo, and No. 8 Garrett Risner was beaten by Paul Chang (People’s Republic of China).
• ⏱️
  Extra‑hole grit: Eric Lee (19 holes) and Daniel Svärd (20) survived playoffs to advance.
• 🏁
  Statement wins: William Sides (5 & 4), Jase Summy (5 & 3), and Arni Sveinsson (4 & 3) advanced comfortably.
• 🌍
  International punch: Wins from Charlie Forster (ENG), Christiaan Maas (RSA), Arni Sveinsson (ISL), Daniel Svärd (SWE), and Pongsapak Laopakdee (THA) underscore a global field.
• 📺
  What’s next: A double‑round day brings the Round of 32 in the morning and the Round of 16 in the afternoon.

Round of 64 Recap — 125th U.S. Amateur

Match play arrived at The Olympic Club with all the tension you’d expect from the U.S. Amateur. Top seeds largely held serve, but the bracket still shook with a pair of headline upsets and several matches that went beyond regulation. Precision into firm greens and nervy five‑ to eight‑footers defined the day as 32 players earned their place in Thursday’s double‑round.

Medalist and No. 1 seed Preston Stout advanced with authority, while fellow contender Miles Russell needed late resolve to move through. On the flip side, No. 4 Logan Reilly fell on the final green, and No. 8 Garrett Risner was bounced by a composed performance from Paul Chang. International flags featured prominently, with wins from England, South Africa, Iceland, Sweden, and Thailand underscoring the global flavor of this championship.

Notes & Takeaways

• Top seeds advance: No. 1 Preston Stout and No. 3 Miles Russell (4 & 2) are into the Round of 32.
• Upsets: No. 61 Jimmy Abdo defeated No. 4 Logan Reilly (1 up); No. 57 Paul Chang beat No. 8 Garrett Risner (2 up).
• Extra‑hole grit: Eric Lee (19 holes) and Daniel Svärd (20) survived playoffs.
• Statement wins: William Sides (5 & 4), Jase Summy (5 & 3), and Arni Sveinsson (4 & 3) progressed comfortably.
• International impact: Wins by Charlie Forster (ENG), Christiaan Maas (RSA), Arni Sveinsson (ISL), Daniel Svärd (SWE), and Pongsapak Laopakdee (THA).
• What’s next: Thursday brings a double‑round—Round of 32 in the morning and Round of 16 in the afternoon.

Round of 64 Results (Winners Listed First)

Seed in parentheses; dormie margins shown as customary.

• (19) Mahanth Chirravuri def. (46) Luke Colton — 1 up
• (6) Reed Greyserman def. (59) Tim Wiedemeyer — 2 & 1
• (27) Clark Van Gaalen def. (38) Josh Duangmanee — 4 & 3
• (11) Eric Lee def. (54) Filip Jakubcik — 19 holes
• (22) Frankie Harris def. (43) Cohen Trolio — 3 & 2
• (5) Bryan Kim def. (60) Brady Siravo — 2 & 1
• (28) Chase Nevins def. (37) Jackson Herrington — 1 up
• (12) Charlie Forster def. (53) Caleb Bond — 2 & 1
• (21) Davis Johnson def. (44) Kolton Crawford — 2 & 1
• (63)  Mason Howell def.  (2)Tommy Morrison — 19 holes
• (31) Parker Claxton def. (34) Ben James — 2 & 1
• (15) Jackson Koivun def. (50) Ryan Voois — 2 & 1
• (18) Arni Sveinsson def. (47) Max Herendeen — 4 & 3
• (7) Nate Smith def. (58) Bowen Mauss — 3 & 2
• (26) John Daly II def. (39) Cooper Claycomb — 1 up
• (10) Daniel Bennett def. (55) Joshua Bai — 1 up
• (23) Pongsapak Laopakdee def. (42) Rintaro Nakano — 1 up
• (3) Miles Russell def. (62) Travis Woolf — 4 & 2
• (30) Billy Davis def. (35) Aston Lim — 4 & 3
• (14) Jase Summy def. (51) Zachary Miller — 5 & 3
• (1) Preston Stout def. (64) Pennson Badgett — 4 & 3
• (32) David Liechty def. (33) William Jennings — 2 & 1
• (16) Luke Poulter def. (49) Niall Shiels Donegan — 1 up
• (17) Christiaan Maas def. (48) Ryan Downes — 3 & 1
• (57) Paul Chang def. (8) Garrett Risner — 2 up
• (25) Tyler Weaver def. (40) Connor Graham — 2 & 1
• (9) William Sides def. (56) Jacob Modleski — 5 & 4
• (24) Nate Gahman def. (41) Cameron Tankersley — 3 & 2
• (61) Jimmy Abdo def. (4) Logan Reilly — 1 up
• (29) Tom Fischer def. (36) Wolfgang Glawe — 1 up
• (13) Daniel Svärd def. (52) Payne Denman — 20 holes
• (20) Andrew Bailey def. (45) Andrew Tan — 1 up

Two days of stroke play at The Olympic Club have set the stage for the head‑to‑head theater of match play at the 2025 U.S. Amateur. Preston Stout topped the 312‑player field at 8‑under to claim medalist honors, while the projected cutline at +3 has left 20 players nervously eyeing a likely playoff for the final spots.

As of writing, play is not yet final, but a 20‑for‑17 playoff looms at the +3 mark.

Stout Leads the Way

Stout followed an opening‑round 67 on the Ocean Course with a sparkling 65 on the Lake Course, the lowest round of stroke play. His finishing kick featured birdies at 15, 16, and 17—the latter two on Olympic’s unusual back‑to‑back par‑5s. The medalist honor earns him the No. 1 seed for match play.

Top of the Leaderboard

1. Preston Stout — −8 (67–65) = 132
2. Tommy Morrison — −6 (66–68) = 134
3. Miles Russell — −4 (70–66) = 136
4. Logan Reilly — −3 (67–70) = 137
5. T5: Nate Smith, Reed Greyserman, Bryan Kim — −2

Key Storylines from Stroke Play

John Daly II Turns It Around

After opening with a 74 on the Ocean Course, John Daly II fired a five‑under 67 on the Lake Course to comfortably advance to match play.

World No. 1 Through with Ease

Jackson Koivun, the world’s top‑ranked amateur, posted 71–68 to finish T8 at −1 and heads into match play with momentum.

International Firepower

Players from England, Sweden, South Africa, and Iceland are among those advancing, including Daniel Svärd and Charlie Forster, both at 139 (−1).

Cutline Tension

The projected cut sits at +3 with 20 players tied. If numbers hold, a 20‑for‑17 playoff will determine the final spots in the bracket.

Match Play Ahead

The bracket will be finalized after the playoff, with the Round of 64 starting Wednesday. Stout’s medalist effort sets him up as the No. 1 seed, but history shows stroke‑play success doesn’t guarantee a deep run.

Round 1 Recap

Round 1 of 36-hole stroke play: Charlie Forster (England) and Tommy Morrison (USA) share the opening lead at the U.S. Amateur after matching 4-under-par 66s on the Ocean Course.

Charlie Forster eagled the par-5 5th and added birdies at 7 and 9 to turn in 31. He offset a late double at 18 with three back-nine birdies to sign for 66. Forster, a Long Beach State senior from Winchester, England, is the Big West Golfer of the Year, an NCAA Division I PING All-America honorable mention, and a recent Arnold Palmer Cup winner with Team International. He closed the college season ranked No. 33 with two wins, including a program-record 196 (-20) at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic.

Tommy Morrison posted a bogey-free 32 on the front with an eagle at 5 and birdies at 7 and 9, added a birdie at 10, and came home in 34 for his matching 66. The University of Texas junior is the 2024 European Amateur champion, earned a start at the 152nd Open at Royal Troon where he took the amateur bronze medal, owns collegiate wins including the Amer Ari Invitational.

Chasing pack: Logan Reilly and Preston Stout at 67 (-3). Stout and Jackson Koivun (68, -2) are confirmed 2025 U.S. Walker Cup team members for Cypress Point. Also at 68 (-2): Ryan Downes, Eric Lee, Davis Johnson, Arni Sveinsson, and Daniel Svärd.

With a shot separating the top four—and two Walker Cuppers in the mix—the race for medalist honors should heat up in Tuesday’s final stroke-play round before match play begins.