2024 U.S. Amateur Championship: Ballester Crowned as First Spaniard Champion

The final day of a golf championship often promises high stakes and higher drama. This year’s U.S. Amateur Championship proved no exception.

After a tense final 36 holes–and a 4-up lead that nearly evaporated over the final back nine — Spain’s Jose Ballester outlasted Noah Kent to claim the Havemeyer Trophy at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Ballester, who celebrated his 21st birthday while claiming the U.S. Amateur title, currently ranks No. 10 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR®. He previously claimed the 2023 European Amateur Championship, which earned him a place in the 2023 Open Championship. Both Ballester and Kent earned a spot in next year’s U.S. Open Championship, and Ballester will likely compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament.

Path of a Champion

Ballester and Kent entered the final Sunday round after surviving the grueling Saturday quarterfinals against Luis Masaveu and Jackon Buchanan, respectively. Both finalists needed to shake off some early struggles–and in Ballester’s case, fend off a partisan crowd. Kent, a University of Iowa sophomore, drew hundreds of fans from Iowa City in support.

Still, Ballester set the tone in the morning round of 18, winning three of the first four holes. Kent clawed back to 2-down by the 14th hole but fell back to 4-down after the end of the morning round.

But no lead is safe in golf—especially if you start finding the water.

Leading 4-up with six to play, Ballester landed a shot in the pond aside Hazeltine’s 13th hole. He made double bogey, followed by another bogey on the 14th. Another Kent win on the 16th hole reduced the lead to 1-up with two to play–and reignited the Iowa faithful in the gallery.

Entering the final hole, Ballester held his 1-up lead and just needed to draw level with Kent to claim the Havemeyer Trophy. After Kent landed his tee shot in the bunker and hit his approach into the rough, Ballester drove clean to the fairway and stuck his approach on the 18th green. Kent conceded the final hole–and the championship–giving Ballester a 2-up victory.

Jose Luis Ballester (center) poses with U.S. Amateur honorary co-chairs Joe Mauer (left) and Larry Fitzgerald after winning the 124th U.S. Amateur. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Hazeltine was honored to add to our championship résumé and host the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship, serving that role for the second time. Scotland’s Richie Ramsay emerged victorious in 2006, the last time Hazeltine hosted the event. Ballester joins a renowned list of previous U.S. Amateur champions, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Bryson DeChambeau.