GOLF: Teen amateur Howell keeps it light alongside McIlroy at Masters

AUGUSTA, Georgia – Mason Howell’s first Masters round alongside Rory McIlroy had everything an 18-year-old amateur might expect at Augusta National: nerves, laughter, lessons, and, somewhat unusually, a hat that repeatedly flew off his head.

Howell, a high school student and reigning U.S. Amateur champion, earned one of the marquee pairings on Thursday when he teed off with defending champion McIlroy. The teenager said the experience was as entertaining as it was educational as he opened with a five-over-par 77.

“Rory is awesome. We had a great walk today,” Howell told reporters after his opening round.

The start, however, was far from comfortable. Howell admitted his body did not respond as he hoped on the first tee.

“I was on the first tee and couldn’t feel my arms,” he said.

Adrenaline also played a role in an early wardrobe malfunction. Howell said his hat came off three times during the round, beginning on the opening tee shot as nerves and ambition briefly overwhelmed his setup.

“I was going to swing out of my shoes to see if I could cover that right bunker,” he said. “It was pretty funny.”

His opening drive did not go as planned, finishing in the ninth fairway, but Howell said sharing the moment with McIlroy helped ease the tension. He managed to scramble for pars on his first two holes and gradually settled into a more controlled rhythm as his driver improved throughout the round.

Playing alongside McIlroy also provided a front-row lesson in major championship golf. Howell said the Northern Irishman demonstrated why elite players make Augusta look more manageable than it is, especially in how he recovered when out of position and avoided compounding mistakes.

“He does a great job knowing where to miss,” Howell said. “There are some things I can learn going into tomorrow.”

Despite the early struggles, including difficulties on the greens at the fourth hole, Howell maintained a light mood with his caddie and finished his round encouraged by the potential for improvement.

Looking ahead to Friday, Howell said the focus would be on hitting more greens, staying patient—and perhaps making a small equipment adjustment.

“We might just tighten it up one button,” he said of his hat. -Reporting by Rory CarrollEditing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters