Herrington has clutch birdie on 18th hole to secure spot in US Amateur final against Howell
Herrington won 1 up and will face Georgia teenager Mason Howell in the 36-hole final Sunday. Howell beat Eric Lee 3 and 2 in the other semifinal at the 125th U.S. Amateur.
Both Harrington and Howell advanced to the final after being among the 17 players to survive a 20-man playoff Wednesday morning to determine the final 64 for match play.
The matches teed off in typical summer San Francisco weather with heavy fog that made it difficult to track shots, along with a steady mist and wind gusts of more than 20 mph.
Herrington got in an early hole after bogeying the first two holes against Donegan, the 20-year-old Scot who grew up just across the Golden Gate Bridge in Mill Valley.
Herrington, a 19-year-old about to enter his sophomore season at Tennessee, overcame the partisan crowd, the weather and the early deficit to get the win.
Donegan nearly pulled off a fifth straight late rally. He erased a two-hole deficit when Herrington bogeyed the par-5 16th and then Donegan made a short birdie putt at the par-5 17th to set the stage for the decisive final hole in front of loud crowd of his supporters.
Herrington hit a perfect approach shot on the par-4 18th and then hit his 5-foot par putt after Donegan narrowly missed his birdie attempt.
Howell, who is about to enter his senior year in high school, continued an impressive 2025 season after qualifying for the U.S. Open earlier this year.
He was tied at the turn with Lee but took a two-hole lead after Lee made bogey on the 11th and 14th holes. Howell then won the match with a long birdie putt on the par-5 16th, punctuating it with a fist pump.
Lee was playing in his first career U.S. Amateur after helping Oklahoma State win an NCAA title this year.
This is the fourth U.S. Amateur to be held at The Olympic Club. Charles Coe (1958), Nathaniel Crosby (1981) and Cole Knost (2007) won the others.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
22 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arizona looking for bounce back in second season under coach Brent Brennan
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona's first season under coach Brent Brennan did not go as planned. Plagued by key injuries on defense and an offense that sputtered at times, the Wildcats took a step back last year after building momentum under previous coach Jedd Fisch. 'When you have a tough season like we did a year ago, you've got to fix what is broken and then you have to put those pieces together,' Brennan said. Arizona appeared to have the pieces in place to continue the success it had under Fisch before he left to coach at Washington. It didn't pan out. Injuries to three of their best defensive players and an inconsistent offense — despite having All-American receiver Tetairoa McMillan — led to a 4-8 finish after winning 10 games the year before. The Wildcats retooled for their second season under Brennan, adding speed and skill at receiver and running back to complement quarterback Noah Fifita. Arizona also brought in offensive coordinator Seth Doege, a Mike Leach disciple who had success at Marshall, and promoted Danny Gonzales — the former New Mexico head coach — to stabilize a defense that struggled last season, particularly against the run. 'The expectation around here, 'God, you guys have been bludgeoned, so no one thinks we're going to be worth a darn,'' Gonzales said. 'That's outstanding to me because all we get to do is talk about the end.' Finding Fifita Fifita had a breakout 2023 after starting the season as a backup, throwing for more than 2,800 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He wasn't quite as productive last season, throwing for 2,958 yards, but with 12 interceptions to 18 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes. 'I think that the step back for Noah Fifita is my fault, not his,' Brennan said. 'We didn't do a good enough job running the football. We didn't do a good enough job protecting him, which I think we've done. We've made some moves in the direction of making that better right now.' Replacing McMillan Arizona has a big hole to fill after the departure of McMillan, one of the best receivers in program history. The Wildcats will try to make up for the loss of his production by spreading the ball around to what could be five speedy receivers in the regular rotation. Four of those are transfers, including Javin Whatley, who caught 108 passes for 1,810 yards and 12 touchdowns in four seasons at Chattanooga. 'I felt like we were missing some people on the other side of T-Mac, like we needed to have more, we needed more speed,' Brennan said. 'I think we've added that in the offseason.' Dialing up the D Arizona took a step back defensively last season after making inroads under Fisch. The Wildcats were one of the worst defensive teams in the Big 12, exacerbated by injuries to linebacker Jacob Manu, defensive back Treydan Stukes and safety Gunner Maldonado. Arizona has most of its secondary back, including Stukes and Genesis Smith, but multiple new players up front. Schedule Arizona has a chance to get its 2025 season off to a good start with five of its first six games at home. The Wildcats open against Hawaii on Aug. 30, with home games against Weber State, No. 17 Kansas State, Oklahoma State and BYU after that. Arizona has road games against Iowa State, Houston, Colorado and Cincinnati before closing out the regular season at rival Arizona State. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Winnipeg Free Press
22 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Julian Sayin named Ohio State's starting quarterback for season opener against Texas
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Julian Sayin will be Ohio State's starting quarterback when the No. 3 Buckeyes open the season against top-ranked Texas on Aug. 30, coach Ryan Day announced Monday. Day, who is in his seventh year leading the Buckeyes, said Sayin was more consistent in the competition with Lincoln Kienholz but there was some separation over the past week. 'It was a close competition. I think both guys we all feel confident can win a game for us. I feel like our guys are confident with both quarterbacks, I feel like we are going to need both quarterbacks,' Day said. 'Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we're going to name Julian the starter, give him the majority of the reps with the ones and go prepare to beat Texas.' Sayin is listed as a sophomore but has four years of eligibility remaining. He originally committed to Alabama as the top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2024 and was taking classes when Nick Saban retired. Sayin then entered the transfer portal last spring and came to Ohio State. He played in four games last season, including the College Football Playoff first-round game against Tennessee, and he was 5 for 12 for 84 yards and one touchdown while taking 27 snaps. 'I think earning trust is just all about consistency, who are you day in and day out, and are you making the routine plays routinely. Are you someone who the offense can count on and who your teammates can count on consistently?' Sayin said on Aug. 5 about his approach. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline also pointed out Sayin's consistency, along with limited turnovers and emergence as a leader, in his body of work. 'The command and earning the respect of your peers. Ultimately, the locker room always knows,' Hartline said. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tried to recruit Sayin and said after Monday's announcement that he had a ton of respect for him. 'We recruited him hard here. He was a very gifted passer, really good player. Came to camp with us, I think, two years in a row. So we got a lot of familiarity with him,' Sarkisian said. 'Very good player, elite passer, very good arm talent, very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously, he's got great weapons around him, so he's the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. So, it poses a heck of a challenge.' Sayin won't be the most-hyped quarterback in the opener. That goes to Texas' Arch Manning, who is considered an early Heisman Trophy contender. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Mainz overcomes Dynamo Dresden 1-0 in German Cup
BERLIN (AP) — Nadiem Adli's brilliant free kick was enough for Mainz to overcome Dynamo Dresden 1-0 in the first round of the German Cup on Monday. The former Germany midfielder lifted the ball over the defensive wall and in off the right post in the 22nd minute, the only goal from a game in which second-division club Dresden missed more chances. In the final minute, Jakob Lemmer hit the side netting, leaving many home fans with their heads in their hands. Mainz coach Bo Henriksen was sent off shortly beforehand for holding onto the ball as the tension increased in a nervy finale. Fortuna Düsseldorf won at third-division Schweinfurt 4-2, and Hertha Berlin's match at second-division rival Prueßen Münster was going to extra time after finishing scoreless. Borussia Dortmund was playing later at nearby Rot-Weiss Essen. Essen, which won the German championship in 1955, is in the third division. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP soccer:
