The US Amateur champion has started the season in the United States on a strong footing. Josele Ballester came close to victory at the Sahalee Players Championship, the first tournament of the season for the boys from Arizona State University and a return to competition for the Spaniard after his sensational victory at Hazeltine.
Ballester finished in second place, just one stroke behind the winner, Oregon player, Aiden Krafft. The tournament was held at the Sahalee Country Club, a venue that proved to be very demanding. So much so, that the champion did not score under 70 on any day. The victory was achieved with a cumulative score of four under par, while Ballester had to settle for -3, sharing that second place with his teammate, Preston Summerhays.
Ballester started the tournament in the lead. He positioned himself as leader after the first day after delivering a card of 69 strokes. Only two golfers managed to score under 70 on the debut and barely ten did so throughout the weekend. It was a tough tournament.
Josele took the lead after the first 18 holes and dropped to second place at the end of the 36. He scored 72 strokes in the second round. He started two off the first place, occupied precisely by Summerhays with -5. The last round was very exciting. Ballester really came close to victory. He had a start with a lot of movement. In the first four holes he made a birdie, a double bogey, a bogey and another birdie. He added one more birdie on the 6th and finished the first 9 with a bogey. Shortly after, he took advantage of the par 5 on the 11th to add another birdie. There he was just one stroke behind Summerhays, who scored an eagle on that same hole.
From there, Ballester chained seven consecutive pars, enough to catch up with Summerhays, but not enough to beat Krafft, who took advantage of the duel between the two teammates to pass them on the right with two birdies in his final four holes. This is Ballester’s third second place in the NCAA and his ninth top 5.
Obviously, the final taste is bittersweet because he was really close to victory, but the reading should be very positive. He has once again demonstrated a magnificent level and has not shown any signs of a possible hangover after winning the US Amateur. His great obsession this year is to win an NCAA tournament, something he has not yet achieved. The first opportunity went to the post, but there is no doubt that more will come and he will do everything possible to finish them. At least, he does have the consolation, which is not minor, of having achieved victory with Arizona State.
In the Sahalee Players Championship, Madrid’s Jaime Montojo, from Texas A&M, also played. He finished in 43rd place with cards of 74, 71 and 79 strokes.
