Donegan comes up short in the Amateur, so it’s Howell and Herrington

The end of the run, but Niall Shiels Donegan, a few inches and one round short of reaching the final round of the US Amateur, saw it as more of a beginning, or at least a continuation. 

Donegan, who had seemingly most of Marin County providing vocal support, lost to Jackson Herrington one up in one of Saturday’s two semi-final matches. On Sunday, Herrington will face Mason Howell, who defeated Eric Lee 3-2 in the other semi-final at the Olympic Club where not surprisingly, an August day had a gloomy resemblance to January.

Maybe it wasn’t Mark Twain who said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” but whoever said it was as on target as some of the golfers were with their iron shots.

Herrington, 19, is about to enter his sophomore season at Tennessee, while Howell, 17, is scheduled to enroll at the University of Georgia in the fall.  

Anybody remember when they used to say, golf was an old man’s game? 

What we’ve been saying about Donegan is that when he was behind in other matches he was able to survive, and found a way to make the big putt at the close.  But despite vocal support from residents of Mill Valley, 20.3 miles across the Golden Gate from the Olympic Club, he wasn’t able to replicate his success of earlier rounds.

Donegan was born in Scotland and lists himself as Scottish, even though he has lived in Northern California since he was three.

“I did what I could,” said Donegan, who this fall will be transferring from Northwestern to the University of North Carolina. “I’m only 20. Like hopefully I’ve got a long career ahead of me, and this is just one of the many building blocks along the journey that hopefully commences.”

Almost certainly that career will be as a pro golfer.  

With the tour purses so large and the game so popular—Scottie Scheffler is living proof of the popularity—who wouldn’t make the effort to become a hero in the sport?

Not that Herrington isn’t already. He and Howell both have qualified for the Masters as US Amateur finalists. Herrington’s play was admirable especially because almost all the spectators watching the match were cheering for Donegan. Harrington was unbothered.

In fact he was almost inspired.

“I think I kind of feed off of it (the vocal support for his opponent). We’d be walking up the fairway, after he hit the fairway,” said Herrington. “And they’d be yelling like he made a hole-in-one. It was funny, I’d walk up the fairway and be like thank you.” 

Howell probably will know the same response Donegan received at Olympic when Mason arrives at Augusta, some 200 miles from his hometown of Thomasville, GA. Howell called qualifying for the Masters unbelievable. 

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. That’s something me and my family will celebrate (Saturday night) for sure.”

There would be no less a celebration by the winner of the Amateur, whether it is Herrington or Howell.