When a teenager from Tennessee starts making noise on the amateur stage, golf fans tend to pay attention. That’s the case with 19-year-old Jackson Herrington, who is steadily building a reputation as one of the most promising young players. He’s already ticked off checkboxes that you usually see next to the biggest names. Whether it’s clawing back from near defeat or staring down rowdy crowds. Herrington’s story is rich with drama and ambition.

Raised in Dickson, Tennessee, Herrington didn’t grow up with the spotlight on him. He had a big family legacy looming on his shoulders, but instead, he chose to tee at 315-320 yards through the air. Let us take a closer look at how he got here, with all the milestones he’s already achieved, and his personal story.

From rookie days to big wins

Growing up at Greystone Golf Club in Dickson, Jackson Herrington was surrounded by a fiercely competitive environment where low-60s scores were considered normal. This hardened him early, and by high school, he was already considered one of Tennessee’s top prospects. In 2022, he won the TSSAA Large State Championship with rounds 67 and 71 to finish six under par. This was a sign that he’s going to be the next big thing.

By 2023, his national reputation was taking shape. He tied for third at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, was runner-up at both the Bubba Conlee Junior and the Dustin Johnson World Junior, and reached the finals of the US Amateur Four-ball alongside Blades Brown. The pair made history as the youngest ever to reach that stage of the championship!

But Herrington’s real breakthrough came in 2024. At just 18, he pulled off a dramatic comeback to win the Tennessee State Open, becoming the youngest champion in its history and the first amateur to lift the trophy since 2018! He was trailing by four shots in the final round and was three down with four holes to play before clinching the victory. Later that year, he achieved a rare double, earning both the Tennessee Men’s Player of the Year and the Boys’ Junior Player of the Year titles, something only one other player (Blades Brown) in state history had ever managed.

In the fall of 2024, he started college at the University of Tennessee, making an immediate impression in his freshman season. Across 12 tournaments, he had an average score of 72.83, including a top-10 finish at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate, back-to-back top 20s at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational and Pauma Valley Invitational, and an even-par showing at the SEC Championships.

What sets him out is his ability to thrive under pressure, something which is phenomenal at such a young age. Take, for instance, the 2025 US Amateur at Olympic Club. Jackson ended two of the tournament’s most beloved Cinderella runs – first eliminating 4,492nd-ranked Jimmy Abdo and then ousting local favorite Niall Shiels Donegan in front of a partisan California crowd. “I think I kind of feed off of it… There’s a couple of people out here that wanted me to win, but it was kind of me against everybody else,” Harrington said as reported by USGA.

The highlight of the match was on the 18th hole in the semifinal, where he delivered a clutch approach and rolled in the birdie putt to seal the win. He grounded himself in the moment with an unusual mental trick: whispering the word nine to himself at the start of his swing to slow down. A maturity which is often credited to his family’s steady guidance.

How did the family define Herrington’s path?

Jackson Herrington’s family is about tradition and the weight of legacy. His mother, Nikki Herrington, is proud of the fact that Jackson represents the eighth consecutive generation of the family to attend the University of Tennessee (UT). The roots go back to his great-great-grandfather, Dr. Walter A. Bell, who graduated in 1911 from the UT Medical School’s very first class. For more than a century, members of the Herrington family have gone on to become doctors and nurses through the university.

Jackson, however, chose a different path. With a 4.10 GPA, he had the academic credentials to pursue medicine, but his passion was always golf.  “He could be the next doctor. But his passion is to chase the white ball, and I’m good with that,” said his mother.

The decision to commit to UT wasn’t straightforward. Schools like Ole Miss and UT Chattanooga recruited him heavily, with offers that might have guaranteed him a bigger role right away. But Herrington turned them down because he wanted to earn his place the hard way. At UT, where the roster is stacked with elite players, he saw the chance to push himself every week for a spot in the lineup. “I feel that if I’m the best I’m not going to get any better, because I’m not getting beat,” he said.

Outside of competition, Herrington is known for being level-headed and grounded, traits he attributes to both his family and the golfing culture of his hometown. At Greystone, the midweek money games against seasoned players forced him to sharpen his skills quickly. The community also knows his family well. His great-grandfather, Dr. Walter Bell Jr., started Dickson General Hospital, while his uncle, Dr. Walter “Butch” Bell, was a respected physician. That mix of heritage has shaped him into the competitor he is today.

Now 19 and entering his sophomore year at Tennessee, Herrington’s eyes are firmly set on the future. His ultimate goal is clear: the PGA Tour. “I want to fight to be No. 1 or No. 2 on the team. That’s how I see myself getting better and getting on the (PGA) Tour.” As we witness his talent, we know that he does possess the tools to get there.