The Open: Golfer hits girlfriend with wayward tee shot, knocks coffee cup out her hand at Royal Birkdale
The extraordinary incident reportedly unfolded on the 8th hole before the American recovered to make par, according to The Open Radio.
One of the most extraordinary moments of this year's Open Championship reportedly unfolded during the second round at Royal Birkdale when American amateur Mason Howell struck his girlfriend with an errant tee shot on the par-4 8th.
According to reports from The Open Radio and X account @PGALouis, Howell's drive hit his girlfriend and knocked a coffee cup out of her hand as she watched from the side of the fairway.
"Mason Howell has just hit his girlfriend with his tee shot on 8 and knocked her coffee cup out of her hand," posted @PGALouis.
Despite the bizarre incident, the 19-year-old recovered well to make par on the hole before signing for a second-round 69.
The round left Howell at 2-over par for the championship.
However, with favourable scoring conditions on Friday, the American amateur appears likely to fall short of the projected cut line.
It marks Howell's fourth appearance in a major championship and, barring a dramatic shift in the leaderboard, he looks set for a fourth consecutive missed cut.
Howell played the first two rounds at the 154th Open alongside Billy Horschel and last week's Scottish Open winner Tom Kim.
Horschel also finished at 2-over par, with Kim a shot worse on 3-over par.
Howell announced himself as one of golf's brightest young talents by winning the 2025 U.S. Amateur, defeating Jackson Herrington 7&6 in the final.
The victory made him the third-youngest champion in the event's history, behind only Tiger Woods and Bobby Jones, and secured invitations to the 2026 Masters, U.S. Open and The Open.
Just a month later, Howell helped the United States claim victory at the 2025 Walker Cup, finishing unbeaten across his three matches.
Born in Moultrie, Georgia, Howell first developed a love for golf as a toddler after watching PGA Tour events on television.
His father played tennis at Valdosta State University, while Howell now represents the University of Georgia.
Earlier this year, Howell attracted further attention when he was paired with Rory McIlroy for the opening two rounds of The Masters.
While his week at Royal Birkdale may ultimately end with another missed cut, it is the extraordinary incident on the 8th hole that is likely to be remembered long after this year's championship concludes.
Andy Roberts first joined GolfMagic on a month's work experience back in April 2011.
Andy then assumed the role of GolfMagic Editor in 2015.
