Masters 2026: Shake Shack, the U.S. Amateur champ and the wild world of NIL

AUGUSTA, Ga. — What would Bobby Jones think of the press release sent out on Wednesday morning? That’s when the PR team at Shake Shack announced that the company has “officially partnered” with reigning U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell to wear its logo on his sleeve when he competes this week at the Masters.

Yes, an 18-year-old high school senior, playing as an amateur at the golf cathedral built by the most famous amateur golf has ever known, will be getting paid to promote a restaurant chain.

Care to comment, Mr. Jones?

The time to litigate the idea of amateurs getting paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL) has come and gone, college athletes several years down the road in terms of being compensate in more than full scholarship. High school and college golfers have followed suit, with several top-ranked players already having agents and sporting endorsement deals, tour cards still long from secured.

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Give credit to Shake Shack’s marketing team for appreciating an opportunity with Howell. On Thursday and Friday, he’ll be playing in the same pairing as defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy and current Players Championship winner Cameron Young. The group’s exposure on TV and streaming platforms will likely make the undisclosed amount that it’s paying Howell worth it.

Recall in 2023 at Augusta National when Sam Bennett, also a U.S. Amateur champion, opened with back-to-back 68s to sit in third place after 36 holes. His story—a fifth-year senior at Texas A&M who was playing in memory of his father, who had passed away two years earlier—went viral. Accounting for not just TV time, but Internet searches and social media traffic, business expert at the time told Golf Digest that Bennett’s exposure was worth in the millions of dollar range.

The decision to partner with Howell comes as the chain is releasing a new, limited-time “clubhouse pimento cheese menu” as a nod to the Masters iconic sandwich. The menu includes a Clubhouse Pimento Cheese Burger and Clubhouse Pimento Chicken Sandwich, plus a side of pimento available in-Shack only, “all featuring a Shake Shack spin on the Southern classic with Shack Sauce and chopped cherry peppers.”

Howell’s arrangement is more than a one-week gig; Shake Shack said it’s two-year sponsorship, the first ever “long-term” partnership with an athlete.

“Growing up in South Georgia, we take pimento cheese pretty seriously,” Howell said in a press release. “So when the opportunity came to partner with Shake Shack on the new Clubhouse Pimento Cheese Menu, it was a no-brainer, especially after tasting the burger and chicken sandwich. They absolutely nailed it. This time of year, pimento just feels right, and I’m excited about what’s ahead for our partnership.”

Ironically, the release referred to Howell as a professional, an understandable mistake given the blurred lines these days in sports. And as to whether Bobby Jones might approve? Well, he wasn't just a champion amateur golfer ... he was a business man, too.

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