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see also: U.S. Amateur, a USGA Championship, Merion Golf Club - East Course
From the 63rd seed to U.S. Amateur champion, 18-year-old Mason Howell stunned The Olympic Club with a dominant 7&6 win
The world's best amateur golfers have gathered in San Francisco for the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship. This page is your comprehensive guide to the tournament, featuring live updates, course details, player information, and a deep dive into the history of this prestigious event. Bookmark this page and check back daily for all the action from The Olympic Club.
📊 U.S. Amateur — Live ScoringThe 18-year-old from Thomasville, Ga., arrives as the 63rd seed and leaves San Francisco with the Havemeyer Trophy after a 7&6 victory over Jackson Herrington.
Mason Howell began the week as a long shot — ranked No. 362 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and slotted 63rd after stroke play — and ended it as the 125th U.S. Amateur champion. On the Lake Course at The Olympic Club, Howell overpowered the final with clinical ball-striking and poised putting, closing out Jackson Herrington, 19, by a 7&6 margin in the 36-hole championship match.
From the first session, Howell set the rhythm. He won early holes with precise approaches into tucked pins and refused to give back momentum. Herrington answered with stretches of solid play but never mounted the extended run needed to flip the match. The handshake came on the 30th hole — a commanding finish that underscored Howell’s form all week.
Herrington’s run was a statement of its own. The Tennessee sophomore powered through the bracket, including a 4&2 quarterfinal over Jimmy Abdo and a gritty semifinal over Niall Shiels Donegan. He drove it confidently all week and matched Olympic’s angles with mature course management, earning a well-deserved place in the final.
The U.S. Amateur remains the sport’s great pressure cooker; navigating stroke play, playoffs, and six matches rewards the most complete competitor. Howell’s win secures exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Open and likely the 2026 Masters and Open Championship (while remaining amateur), and signals the arrival of another elite talent headed to the University of Georgia.
Mason Howell def. Jackson Herrington, 7&6
A 36-hole final at The Olympic Club is a demanding close to a long week; the champion’s calendar now tilts toward college golf and a major-championship runway that will test this skill set on the biggest stages. If Olympic was an exam in patience and precision, Howell just aced it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Seed in parentheses; dormie margins shown as customary.
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 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.
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.
Jackson Koivun, the world’s top‑ranked amateur, posted 71–68 to finish T8 at −1 and heads into match play with momentum.
Players from England, Sweden, South Africa, and Iceland are among those advancing, including Daniel Svärd and Charlie Forster, both at 139 (−1).
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.
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 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.
| Pos | Player | To Par | R1 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Charlie Forster (ENG) | -4 | 66 | Eagle at 5; Arnold Palmer Cup winner; Big West POY |
| T1 | Tommy Morrison (USA) | -4 | 66 | European Am champ; Open bronze medal; UT junior |
| T3 | Logan Reilly | -3 | 67 | One back of lead |
| T3 | Preston Stout | -3 | 67 | 2025 U.S. Walker Cup (Cypress Point) |
| T5 | Ryan Downes | -2 | 68 | |
| T5 | Eric Lee | -2 | 68 | |
| T5 | Jackson Koivun | -2 | 68 | 2025 U.S. Walker Cup (Cypress Point) |
| T5 | Davis Johnson | -2 | 68 | |
| T5 | Arni Sveinsson | -2 | 68 | |
| T5 | Daniel Svärd | -2 | 68 |
Dates: August 11–17, 2025
Venue: The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif.
Stroke-Play Co-Host: The Olympic Club (Ocean Course)
Field: 312 players
Eligibility: Handicap Index ≤ 0.4
Defending Champion: Jose Luis Ballester (Spain)
2024 Runner-Up: Noah Kent (Iowa)
The Olympic Club’s Lake Course, a storied U.S. Open and Amateur venue, will once again challenge the world's top amateurs. Known for its tight fairways, undulating terrain, and dramatic finish, the course demands precision and strategy. The adjacent Ocean Course will serve as the co-host for the two stroke-play rounds, offering a different but equally demanding test.
Lake Course: 7,214 yards, Par 70
Ocean Course: 6,787 yards, Par 70
Architects: Willie Watson, Sam Whiting, with notable renovations by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Gil Hanse.
The journey to the U.S. Amateur is a grueling one. The field of 312 players is comprised of top-ranked amateurs who receive exemptions and those who earned their spot through sectional qualifying. This year, over 5,200 golfers entered the championship, with final qualifying concluding on July 31st at 19 sites nationwide.
View our complete qualifying tracker with course overviews, formats, and full results from each site.
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The tournament begins with two rounds of stroke play to determine the top 64 players. Following a potential playoff, the remaining competitors will enter a single-elimination match-play bracket, culminating in a 36-hole championship match on Sunday.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Monday, Aug. 11 | Stroke Play – Round 1 |
| Tuesday, Aug. 12 | Stroke Play – Round 2 |
| Wednesday, Aug. 13 | Match Play – Round of 64 |
| Thursday, Aug. 14 | Match Play – Rounds of 32 & 16 |
| Friday, Aug. 15 | Quarterfinal Matches |
| Saturday, Aug. 16 | Semifinal Matches |
| Sunday, Aug. 17 | 36-Hole Championship Match |
You can catch the action on Peacock and Golf Channel:
| Date | Time (EDT) | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Aug. 13 | 6–7 p.m., 7–9 p.m. | Peacock, Golf Channel |
| Thu, Aug. 14 | 7–10 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Fri, Aug. 15 | 6–7 p.m., 7–9 p.m. | Peacock, Golf Channel |
| Sat, Aug. 16 | 3–6 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Sun, Aug. 17 | 7–10 p.m. | Golf Channel |
The winner of the U.S. Amateur receives the prestigious Havemeyer Trophy and a gold medal. More importantly, they earn exemptions into several of golf's most significant events, marking a potential turning point in their career. The champion receives exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Open, the 2026 Open Championship, and is likely to receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament, provided they remain an amateur.

The Olympic Club holds a rich history with the USGA, having hosted multiple major championships. The 1955 U.S. Open, where Jack Fleck defeated Ben Hogan in a playoff, is one of the most famous upsets in golf history. The club has also previously hosted the U.S. Amateur three times, in 1958, 1981, and 2007. This history ensures that the 2025 champion will join an exclusive list of legendary winners.
The championship field is packed with talent. Players to watch include defending champion Jose Luis Ballester, as well as 2024 runner-up Noah Kent. Other notable names with exemptions include:
The full field includes a mix of collegiate stars, international champions, and accomplished mid-amateurs, all vying for the title.
Throughout the week, this page will be updated with daily recaps, in-depth analysis of key matches, and full results. Be sure to check back for:
The 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club is set to be a classic. Stay with us all week as we track the game's next great star on their path to glory.
The U.S. Amateur, the oldest USGA championship, was first played in 1895 at Newport Golf Club in Rhode Island. The event, which has no age restriction, is open to those with a Handicap Index of .4 (point four) or lower. It is one of 15 national champ...
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