CHASKA, Minn. — Josele Ballester gave a subtle fist pump, but he knew how pivotal the putt was.
The senior at Arizona State needed to stop the bleeding, and that’s what his par on the 17th hole did.
Ballester held on down the stretch, and his key par on the penultimate hole helped him win the 2024 U.S. Amateur on Sunday at Hazeltine National Golf Club. Ballester defeated rising Iowa sophomore 2 up to become the first player from Spain to win the U.S. Amateur, but he held on for dear life down the stretch to do it.
Ballester led 4 up with six to play, but Kent, the heavy fan favorite throughout the week, won consecutive holes to go 4 down with two to play. Then he won the 16th and was 1 down with two to go.
Ballester’s putt on 17 to halve the hole helped him head to the closing par-4 with a 1-up advantage, and it’s all he needed for victory on his 21st birthday.
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