IRVING, TX -- U.S. Amateur Champion Josele Ballester is Arizona State's first student-athlete to win Big-12 Golfer of the Month as announced earlier today by the Big 12 Conference.
After starting the season with a tied for second finish at the Sahalee Players Championship, Ballester took the next opportunity at Olympia Fields to grab his first collegiate individual title the very next weekend. After 36 holes, he set a new OFCC-Fighting Illini individual record when he posted a 10-under 130. Having to finish the last hole of round three the next morning didn't faze Ballester as he kept his cool to finish strong and raise the trophy, not to mention, he did just win the 2024 U.S. Amateur.
JOSELE BALLESTER CAREER COLLEGIATE TOP-FIVE FINISHES
1 -- Olympia Fields Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22, 2024/78) 64-66-70=200/-10
T2nd -- Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8, 2024/41) 69-69-72=213/-3
2nd -- Dove Mountain Intercollegiate (Feb. 28-Mar. 1, 2022/41) 69-69-74=212/-4
T2nd -- NCAA Stockton Regional (May 18-20, 2022/72) 68-69-71=208/-10
4th -- The Calusa Cup (Apr. 2-4, 2023/72) 73-72-70=215/-1
4th -- Pac-12 Championship (Apr. 25-27, 2022/72) 68-70-72-72=282/-2
T4th-- East Lake Cup (Oct. 24, 2022/72) 70/-2
T4th -- Thunderbird Collegiate (Apr. 15-16, 2022/88) 67-65-70=202/-11
T5th -- Las Vegas NCAA Regional (May 15-17, 2023/72) 64-70-67=201/-15/T5
5th -- Oregon Duck Invitational (Mar. 21-22, 2022/90) 71-73-68=212/-1
SENIOR JOSELE BALLESTER 2024-25
Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22, 2024/Olympia Fields Country Club) 64-66-70=200/-10/1
Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8, 2024/Sahalee Country Club) 69-72-72=213/-3/T2
2 TOURNAMENTS/6 ROUNDS/68.83 STROKE AVERAGE/413 STROKES
3 ROUNDS IN 60s/6 ROUNDS OF PAR OR BETTER
SEASON LOW ROUND: 64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
CAREER LOW ROUNDS:
64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
64/-6 at Pac-12 Championships, first round/April 28, 2023
64/-7 at Thunderbird Collegiate, first round/April 14, 2023
64/-6 at Maui Jim Intercollegiate, second round/Sept. 10, 2022
After starting the season with a tied for second finish at the Sahalee Players Championship, Ballester took the next opportunity at Olympia Fields to grab his first collegiate individual title the very next weekend. After 36 holes, he set a new OFCC-Fighting Illini individual record when he posted a 10-under 130. Having to finish the last hole of round three the next morning didn't faze Ballester as he kept his cool to finish strong and raise the trophy, not to mention, he did just win the 2024 U.S. Amateur.
JOSELE BALLESTER CAREER COLLEGIATE TOP-FIVE FINISHES
1 -- Olympia Fields Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22, 2024/78) 64-66-70=200/-10
T2nd -- Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8, 2024/41) 69-69-72=213/-3
2nd -- Dove Mountain Intercollegiate (Feb. 28-Mar. 1, 2022/41) 69-69-74=212/-4
T2nd -- NCAA Stockton Regional (May 18-20, 2022/72) 68-69-71=208/-10
4th -- The Calusa Cup (Apr. 2-4, 2023/72) 73-72-70=215/-1
4th -- Pac-12 Championship (Apr. 25-27, 2022/72) 68-70-72-72=282/-2
T4th-- East Lake Cup (Oct. 24, 2022/72) 70/-2
T4th -- Thunderbird Collegiate (Apr. 15-16, 2022/88) 67-65-70=202/-11
T5th -- Las Vegas NCAA Regional (May 15-17, 2023/72) 64-70-67=201/-15/T5
5th -- Oregon Duck Invitational (Mar. 21-22, 2022/90) 71-73-68=212/-1
SENIOR JOSELE BALLESTER 2024-25
Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22, 2024/Olympia Fields Country Club) 64-66-70=200/-10/1
Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8, 2024/Sahalee Country Club) 69-72-72=213/-3/T2
2 TOURNAMENTS/6 ROUNDS/68.83 STROKE AVERAGE/413 STROKES
3 ROUNDS IN 60s/6 ROUNDS OF PAR OR BETTER
SEASON LOW ROUND: 64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
CAREER LOW ROUNDS:
64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
64/-6 at Pac-12 Championships, first round/April 28, 2023
64/-7 at Thunderbird Collegiate, first round/April 14, 2023
64/-6 at Maui Jim Intercollegiate, second round/Sept. 10, 2022