CHASKA, Minn. — Jose Luis Ballester, a senior-to-be at Arizona State, turned the primary participant from Spain to win the U.S. Novice, warding off Iowa sophomore Noah Kent, 2 up, Sunday at Hazeltine within the 36-hole match on his twenty first birthday.
Ballester, who was the one participant within the high 10 of the world novice rating to succeed in the Spherical of 16, took the lead on the second gap and by no means trailed. He joined Jon Rahm as the one gamers from Spain to win a USGA event. Rahm, who additionally performed for the Solar Devils, received the U.S. Open in 2021.
“We now have many nice Spaniards, many nice legends,” Ballester stated. “Having the ability to add my title into that historical past is fairly candy.”
Each finalists gained exemptions for the Masters and the U.S. Open subsequent 12 months, and Ballester additionally obtained a spot in The Open.
Ballester trailed sooner or later in his final three matches earlier than taking management within the grueling remaining. Carrying a pink polo, yellow shorts on mortgage from Spaniard he beat within the semifinals, Luis Masaveu, and black socks to match his nation’s colours, Ballester went 3 up after 4 holes on two early birdies. He had a 4-up lead on the lunch break on a classic 82-degree day with a slight late-summer breeze.
Kent, who entered the week as an extended shot at No. 560 on the earth novice rating, refused to fade on the exhausting remaining day.
“You don’t need to be 4 down going into an 18-hole match, nevertheless it’s been achieved earlier than, and I stored telling myself that. Everyone in my nook stored telling myself that,” Kent stated. “I fought like loopy on the market.”
He hit an extended putt for eagle on No. 25 — the seventh gap on the course — to maneuver inside two. Then after falling behind by 4 with seven holes to go, the participant from Naples, Florida, snapped again to win Nos. 31, 32 and 34 and pull inside one.
