High-schooler Mason Howell's incredible run continues with a walk-off eagle in Walker Cup
Mason Howell celebrates holing out an eagle from the fairway to win morning foursomes match in the Walker Cup.
Chris Keane
PEBBLE BEACH — This has been a month that Mason Howell will cherish for the rest of his life, no matter what he does in his golf career going forward.
The 18-year-old high school senior from Georgia won the U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club on Aug. 20 and was surprised to learn that a victory automatically qualified him for the Walker Cup. Back home, Howell shot a 59 for the second time on the same course, and then made his way to the Monterey Peninsula to compete for America at Cypress Point Club.
For such a young man, playing with mostly college upperclassman and one 34-year-old, Howell could have understandably felt the weight of the moment and been wilted by it.
He did not.
Howell began the week with an albatross 2 on a par 5 in the practice round, and after sitting out foursomes on Saturday morning, he won the first three holes against Florida junior Luke Poulter to beat the 21-year-old Englishman 3 and 2.
U.S. captain Nathan Smith predictably felt compelled to put Howell into Sunday’s foursomes, and he did so with Notre Dame junior Jacob Modleski. It was a wise move, because the Americans never trailed after winning the first two holes.
They did, however, find their 4-up lead cut to 2 up through 14 against GB&I’s Stuart Grehan add Eliot Baker. Enter more of Howell’s heroics. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the spectacular par-3 15th, and when GB&I won the 16th, Howell pulled off what may be remembered as the shot of the week.
Well-situated in the fairway after Modleski’s drive, Howell pulled a pitching wedge from 147 yards and flew it at the flag, with the ball taking a big bounce and diving into the hole for a walk-off victory eagle. Howell first raised his arm to ask if was in, and when he got the thumbs up, he slammed his club down and slapped hands with Modleski and celebrated with the caddies.
The Americans took the match 2 and 1 as part of the U.S. splitting the four foursomes matches to hold an 8½-7½ lead heading into the afternoon’s 10 singles.
“We had a really good number and hit a smooth pitching wedge,” Howell said afterward. “I didn’t really see it go in. I’ll be interested to see the replay. That was such a great way to end the match.”
Smith, the captain, happened to be on the 17th and standing between Howell and the green. “I was watching it and thinking, ‘go, go, get up a little bit,' and it one-hopped into the hole,” Smith said. “That was the perfect shot. He’s been incredible.
Howell had about 90 minutes to calm the adrenaline before heading out to play in the third match against Texas Tech sophomore Connor Graham. The Scotsman also is 18, so Howell was this time looking to pick on someone his own size.