John Daly II Falls in the U.S. Amateur Quarterfinal

SAN FRANCISCO – Razorback senior John Daly II birdied the final hole, but it was not enough as Mason Howell birdied as well to win 1 UP in the quarterfinal of the 2025 USGA U.S. Amateur Championship, played at The Olympic Club (Lake Course).

Daly was the first Razorback to reach the U.S. Amateur quarterfinal since David Lingmerth accomplished the feat in 2009.

Howell took control early by winning the opening hole with a par. Daly then won the fourth hole with a par to tie the match. Howell regained the advantage with wins on holes 5 and 6 to take a 2 UP lead. Undaunted, Daly won holes 7 and 8 and the pair tied the par-4, 9th to start the back nine even.

As he did to start the match, Howell won the opening hole of the inward nine only to see Daly answer by winning the 11th with a par. After tying holes 12 and 13, Daly hit an impressive approach shot on 14. Howell was away but drained the birdie putt. Daly’s birdie putt missed to give Howell a 1 UP lead.

Both players carded pars on holes 15, 16 and 17, and Howell led 1 UP with one to play. Daly put the pressure on Howell by sinking his birdie putt first on 18, but Howell answered to clinch the win.

The quarterfinal run at the U.S. Amateur ends an impressive summer for Daly. He finished second on the 2025 Elite Amateur Golf Series thanks to a win at the Southern Amateur, a third-place finish at the Northeast Amateur and a 15th-place finish at the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.

With his summer success and not counting his play at the U.S. Amateur, Daly has climbed 314 spots to 121st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

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