Years after a gift, Mason Howell will share Masters start with Rory McIlroy
AUGUSTA — In 2016, Rory McIlroy handed a golf ball to a 9-year-old boy at the Tour Championship at East Lake.
Mason Howell kept the ball in his bedroom for years.
This week, the 18-year-old from Thomasville brought it with him to Augusta National, carrying it in his bag during practice rounds ahead of his Masters debut.
Howell and McIlroy will tee off together in Thursday’s opening round, following the tradition of grouping the defending Masters champion with the reigning U.S. Amateur winner. Howell plans to use McIlroy’s ball to break the tension.
“I’m going to say, ‘I’m going to play the first hole with a Nike,’ which I’m not,” he said. “It says ‘Rors’ on the side. That would be a power move.”
When asked about playing with Howell, McIlroy reflected on his experience playing two rounds at the 2010 U.S. Open with eight-time major winner Tom Watson.
“I think that’s the incredible thing about our game,” McIlroy said, “is because our careers are long, so many generations overlap.”
McIlroy defeated Justin Rose last year in a playoff to secure his first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam of winning all four majors.
Howell, meanwhile, is just getting started.
Last year, he competed at the U.S. Open, earned his spot in the Masters field and signed to play at the University of Georgia.
On Thursday and Friday, he’ll compete alongside one of the greatest in history.
“Rory was one of my idols growing up, so it’ll be super special for me,” said Howell, who will graduate high school next month. “I can’t ogle at his game too much. I got to focus on myself.”
Howell is one of six amateurs in the field attempting to become the fourth player this century — most recently Bryson DeChambeau in 2016 — to make the cut at Augusta National before turning pro.
“He’s got the game for it,” said Harris English, who played multiple practice rounds with Howell this week. “I’m looking for big things this week. Making the cut out here would be big for him, and I think he can definitely finish low amateur.”
Support for Howell has been overwhelming this week. His caddie is his Brookwood School coach, Jimmy Gillam, and a group that has included teammates, teachers and family has followed him around the course.
“It’s crazy to look up to your younger brother so much, but he’s doing such a good job,” said his sister Meg, a University of Georgia student. “The maturity level he’s had has been awesome.”
McIlroy can become the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods won in consecutive years in 2001-02. That attempt begins Thursday alongside Howell, who has ambitions of his own.
“I know I’ll be pretty nervous, but excited at the same time,” Howell said. “So if I keep a smile on my face, I think the rest will take care of itself.”
About the Author
Fletcher Page is Athens bureau chief covering northeast Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
