Josele Ballester

José Luis "Josele" Ballester Barrio is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on LIV Golf. He won the 2020 Spanish Amateur, 2023 European Amateur and 2024 U.S. Amateur.

Early life and family

Ballester was born in Castellón and is known as Josele. His parents are José Luis Ballester, an Olympic swimmer, and Sonia Barrio, a field hockey player who won gold at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Ballester is coached by Sergio García's father and considers Sergio to be a mentor, and uses Joaquín Niemann's mental coach.

Amateur career

Ballester had a successful junior career and lost the final of the 2018 Boys Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club to Conor Gough, 3 and 1. In 2019, he won the Spanish U-16 Championship and played for Spain in the European Young Masters, where he won silver at Kunětická Hora in the Czech Republic. He was runner-up at the 2019 Junior Orange Bowl International and the 2020 Desert Amateur in the United States.
Ballester won the 2020 Spanish Amateur at Real Club Sevilla Golf, beating Jannik de Bruyn of Germany, 3 and 1, in the final.
Ballester attended Arizona State University from 2021 to 2025, and played with the Arizona State Sun Devils men's golf team, where he earned All-American honors twice. He has trained with Sun Devils alumni Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson. At the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup in Switzerland, he replaced Eugenio Chacarra who turned professional before the event. Ballester won 3.5 of 4 possible points as the international team beat the Americans 33–27.
In 2023, he won the European Amateur by 2 strokes at Pärnu Bay Golf Links in Estonia, which earned him invitation to the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
He won the 2024 U.S. Amateur, 2 up, against Noah Kent at Hazeltine National Golf Club to capture the Havemeyer Trophy.
In 2025, Ballester competed in the Masters Tournament and made headlines during the first round when he urinated in a tributary of Rae's Creek. He was seen by some members of the crowd, who cheered; Ballester – who shot a 4-over-par 76 in the round – later remarked that it was "Probably one of the claps that I really got today real loud. So that was kind of funny." Initially, Ballester appeared unremorseful, saying, "It was not embarrassing at all for me. If I had to do it again, I would do it again." He later clarified that he had apologized to Augusta National Golf Club. Ballester followed his 76 on Thursday with a 6-over 78 on Friday, missing the cut by eight shots.

Professional career

Ballester finished third in the PGA Tour University standings, earning him full Korn Ferry Tour status, but declined membership in June 2025 and signed with Sergio García's Fireballs GC team on the LIV Golf League, making his professional debut at the Washington, D.C. event. In November, he claimed his first professional victory at the PIF Saudi International.

Amateur wins

2018 Campeonato Sub18 Comunidad Valenciana, Campeonato Absoluto de las Comunidad Valenciana
2019 Campeonato de Castellon, Campeonato de Espana Sub-16
2020 Spanish Amateur, Copa Match Play Comunidad Valenciana
2023 European Amateur, European Amateur Team Championship
2024 U.S. Amateur, OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational

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