MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2026

Mason Howell

Quick Quotes

Q. Mason, welcome to the Masters. Let's talk about, first thing, last night, amateur dinner. How special was that? Did it live up to the expectations?

MASON HOWELL: No, it was incredible. So many great faces in that room, and, yeah, that's a memory I'll remember forever.

They had a little unexpected speech they threw on me that I had to get up and talk and I was expecting the amateur dinner to be like 15 people but it was more like a hundred. So that made it a little more nerve wracking, but it was fun. Going straight from there to the Crow's Nest.

Q. Some of the highlights of your speech, what are some of the messages that you wanted to impart upon all the people that were there supporting the amateurs?

MASON HOWELL: No, exactly. I feel like for amateur golf this is like the pinnacle. Everybody wants to make it to this spot. So just pretty much showing a lot of gratitude and thanking everybody, thanking Chairman Ridley for giving all the amateurs, the six amateurs in the field this year the opportunity.

Just super special moment to share alongside them, and we kind of have a game within the game this week between the amateurs.

Q. You're going to play your college golf at Georgia, and there are so many Bulldogs out here. Can you kind of speak to just the support that you've had to lean on that maybe other amateurs in the field aren't able to and how it's prepared you for this week?

MASON HOWELL: No, I'm definitely super fortunate. And all thanks to Coach Haack. He produced so many great Bulldogs. I got to play with Sepp and Harris today, so that was a lot of fun. And just being able to pick their brains as they've played it so many times before.

But I would just say it speaks volumes to the University of Georgia golf team how many guys are in the field and how many great players they keep producing. That was also a big part of why I chose the University of Georgia.

Q. Being a teenager, you're allowed those teenage tendencies to being a kid in a candy store here. No more store then the Masters. What's your guilty pleasure so far while you're here? What have you done that you're like, yeah, I can't pass that up, I gotta do it?

MASON HOWELL: I mean, like today just getting off the golf course, hitting the skip shot on 16, that was incredible. I almost got it over the water. I'm going to kick myself for not getting it over the water.

No, and just like hitting so many iconic shots out here. Like hitting Tiger's chip on 16, seeing where a lot of history has been made out here. Sometimes I gotta snap myself back into reality and I'm still out here playing a tournament. I can't just gawk at some of the great moments that have happened on this property.

Q. I'm not sure if this is embargoed or not, but any plans when you're identifying your golf ball to Rory on Thursday that you can share?

MASON HOWELL: Yeah. I've got his ball in my bag right now, one that he gave me in 2016. So, yeah, I'm going to say I'm going to play the first hole with a Nike, which I'm not. (Laughs). It says "Rors" on the side. But that would be a power move. But, yeah, that's kind of the plan. Hopefully it doesn't get back to him before Thursday.

Q. What's this experience been like getting to do it alongside Jimmy?

MASON HOWELL: No, absolutely. Jimmy being, my high school coach, the assistant pro at my golf club and my short game coach, having him carrying the bag, and he did some tournaments last year, so it's definitely super special to have him, as one of my best friends also, kind of live my bag, and super special to share this moment with him.

Q. When did Rory give you that ball, and where did you keep it?

MASON HOWELL: Yeah. So it's been in my room ever since 2019. He gave me at the TOUR Championship when I was nine. So I've kept it ever since.

Q. You've got it here with you now?

MASON HOWELL: I've got it here now.

Q. Mason, I talked to your sister earlier, a junior at Georgia. She's really excited to have you there. She told me she's kind of looking up to you today. What's it like to hear that from your older sister and to be able to share the red and black?

MASON HOWELL: Yeah. No, I can definitely poke her fun for that because I've always been looking up to her. She's been a great role model. Even growing up, she was a great swimmer, so she always pushed me to work harder in golf. She's definitely a big part of where I am today, because she would always make fun of me saying she was the stronger one, the more athletic one in the family, so I had to kind of push a little harder.

No, it's super special to share this week with her, and have her caddying for me in the par-3 tomorrow will be a lot of fun.

Q. What are the emotions sharing this iconic course with your family right by your side?

MASON HOWELL: No, I mean, it's super special. Being able to see my dad smile and my mom's laugh out there and sharing this moment with my girlfriend and my sister, like it's super special just to kind of give them a hug and realizing what I've kind of accomplished last August. And, yeah, all the hard work that I've put into this game, and now I can really kind of soak in this week and try to play some good golf.

Q. What are your impressions of Amen Corner? You've seen it on TV obviously. And you might have played it before. But to go out and play it with those guys who are pros, describe that experience today.

MASON HOWELL: No, it's super special. 11 is hard. 12 is not easy. 13 you get a little bit of a break. But, yeah, there's not a shot out here that you can sleep on.

Yeah, I mean, I would say Amen Corner is everything I've dreamed up. Every time I come it's super special to hit the shot on 12, hit the approach into 11, the approach into 13. Just such iconic holes that I grew up watching on TV and now it's super special to be able to play them in person.

Q. Did those guys give you any nuggets or advice that you're going to take into your round on Thursday?

MASON HOWELL: I mean I would say be happy with pars on 11 and 12 and then see if you can pick a shot up on 13, and I think that's just the way you have to play those three holes.

Q. Good luck.

MASON HOWELL: Thank you.