A 17-year-old from Thomasville, Georgia, Howell has become one of the top rising young golfers. He currently is a junior at Brookwood High School, scheduled to graduate in 2026. Even though his graduation is a year away, he's already committed to play at the University of Georgia in college.

Although Monday was a day Howell will certainly never forget, it was a heartbreaking afternoon for six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa, who failed to qualify for the U.S. Open after a five-man playoff while slugging his own clubs for 36 holes.