Mason Howell says how Rory McIlroy treated him during the first two rounds at The Masters
Photo by Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National/Getty Images Mason Howell may have missed the cut at The Masters, but playing alongside Rory McIlroy for two rounds at Augusta National clearly provided an experience he will not forget. Howell certainly did not disgrace himself on his Masters debut this week. The 18-year-old finished nine over par for the week, five shots away from making the cut.
Of course, he ended up having the best seat in the house for one of the most impressive performances Augusta National has ever seen. Mason Howell reacts to playing alongside Rory McIlroy at The Masters Rory McIlroy now boasts the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history after moving to 12 under par on Friday. The Northern Irishman made six birdies in seven holes to conclude his round.
There was a special moment on the 18th green, with McIlroy spending a little longer to have a word with Howell. It was quite clear that he was providing words of encouragement. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images And speaking after the round, Howell explained what McIlroy said to him, as well as how the defending champion treated him during the tournament.
“Yeah, we chatted a decent amount, and he’s such a nice guy. Yeah, I mean, that was such a special moment for me to play with my idol. I mean, yeah, other than making the cut for me, that was everything I dreamed it would be,” he said.
“Rory was awesome. He said, ‘I hope to see you down the line’. We’ll play some practice rounds coming up.