Josele Ballester played the final round of 2024 in the NCAA this Tuesday. It was the third day of the Williams Cup, held at the Eagle Point Golf Club course. There, in addition to the victory in the tournament, both individually and as a team, a spot for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic was also indirectly at stake. As we have already mentioned in Ten Golf, the golfer who finishes the year as the Number One in the PGA Tour University will receive a direct invitation to play the Rolex Series at the Emirates Golf Club of the DP World Tour in January.
Well, Josele delivered a great performance, finishing in fifth position, but it wasn’t enough to secure that Number One spot. The reason is that David Ford, one of those competing alongside the Spaniard, had an outstanding tournament, winning in North Carolina and will almost certainly be placed as the Number One in the PGA Tour University. He started the week at Number 2, while Josele, who began the tournament at Number 3, will likely move up to Number 2. He is on the brink. We say this movement in the ranking will probably happen because it has not yet been updated by the PGA Tour, and we will have to wait, but it is likely that Ford will be first and Ballester will be second or third in a battle with Brendan Valdes.
This door to being in Dubai, therefore, would have closed, but there is still a sliver through which he could enter the Emirates tournament. The deadline to be in Dubai closes on 27 November. Whoever is Number One on that day will earn the invitation. Ballester no longer has NCAA tournaments left to add points, but he could still turn the situation around through the PGA Tour.
The golfer from Castellón has requested invitations to play the World Technology in Mexico, in two weeks, and the RSM Classic, which takes place just before the PGA Tour University deadline closes. If he receives an invitation to either of the tournaments, or both, he would have the chance to add points and surpass Ford. However, we say it’s only a sliver because the invitation is by no means guaranteed. Despite being the US Amateur champion, the spots are highly coveted, as many golfers are vying for their card in these final tournaments and requesting invitations. The possibility of him playing in one of the Monday qualifiers to try to earn his place in the tournament is also not ruled out yet.
As it stands, Ballester still has a chance to end the year as Number One in the PGA Tour University and attend the Dubai Desert Classic, although for that to happen, two things must occur: the first is that he receives an invitation to one of the two aforementioned PGA Tour tournaments, or that he qualifies through the qualifier, and the second is that he plays well during those weeks.
