Reigning U.S. Amateur champ is set for WM Phoenix Open debut near college campus

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jose Luis Ballester Barrio is ready for his close-up.

The Arizona State senior will compete at this week’s WM Phoenix Open on a sponsor exemption, his second PGA TOUR start after The Open Championship 2023. Although Ballester hails from Castellón, Spain, this week represents an adopted home game of sorts, as TPC Scottsdale is located less than 20 miles from the Arizona State campus.

Ballester has made a mark in amateur golf, highlighted by his victory at last summer’s U.S. Amateur, which will grant him three major-championship starts in 2025. He’s focused on chasing a national title in his final semester as a Sun Devil, while also looking to secure either PGA TOUR or Korn Ferry Tour membership via PGA TOUR University; he currently stands No. 2 on the 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking.

Ballester, 21, has previously attended the WM Phoenix Open as a fan to support his longtime housemate and college teammate Preston Summerhays. Now it’s his turn inside the ropes, as he readies to tackle the stadium par-3 16th and the week overall.

What makes the WM Phoenix Open special?

“It’s the people,” Ballester said Tuesday. “That’s why it’s called 'The People’s Open.’ It’s hard not to think about what’s going to happen on 16. … On Monday, I could already feel adrenaline. I can only imagine how it’s going to feel when the tournament starts.”

Here are five things to know about Ballester as he readies for his WM Phoenix Open debut.

1. Both his parents are Olympians.

Ballester’s parents both competed at the highest level of sport, setting a foundation for their son to chase similar dreams. Ballester’s dad, Jose Luis Ballester, was a three-time Olympian for Spain as a swimmer, and his mom Sonia Barrio won gold in field hockey for Spain at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He has clearly inherited the athletic traits. Ballester first picked up a golf club at age 4, introduced by a friend of his dad’s (who had previously introduced the elder Ballester to the game), and it has “been a long journey so far,” Ballester said. There’s more to come. He knew as a teenager that he wanted to pursue a career in professional golf, sparking the decision to attend college in the United States. He has thrived at Arizona State, on and off the course, despite the initial difficulties of living so far away from home. “It was hard my freshman year,” Ballester said. “Mentally I was not strong enough and was still almost a kid. I’m glad to say that I grew up as a player but especially as a person, becoming more mature.”

2. He lives with a fellow college stud.

For the past three years, Ballester has lived with fellow Arizona State golfer Summerhays. Despite some of the inevitable roommate quirks – “He’s kind of dirty, I’m not going to lie, kind of messy,” Ballester quipped – the two have developed a close relationship. Summerhays’ uncle Daniel is a veteran of 215 PGA TOUR starts, and his dad Boyd is an accomplished golf instructor whose students include Tony Finau. Three years ago, Ballester attended the WM Phoenix Open as a fan to support Summerhays in his tournament debut. Now Ballester gets his turn inside the ropes. “I’m glad to have lived with him the past three years and becoming a leader of the team with him,” Ballester said. “Really, really excited to share these last memories with him.”

3. His favorite athlete isn’t a golfer.

Ballester has long been fascinated with golf’s demands, but he also swam and played tennis as a kid. He still enjoys playing tennis in his free time, describing it Tuesday as his “frustrated sport.” His all-time favorite athlete is Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, a 22-time major champion who is regarded as one of tennis’ all-time greats. “Rafa Nadal has always been a person that I looked up to growing up, and it’s a sport that I love,” Ballester said. “It’s just his humility; he’s a normal person, and that’s kind of how to be when you’re such a superstar. As a Spaniard that played tennis growing up, he’s the biggest reference you can have.”

4. He’s the U.S. Amateur’s first Spanish winner.

Ballester won last year’s U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National, defeating Iowa’s Noah Kent in the 36-hole final match, 2-up. Ballester won on his 21st birthday, becoming the event’s first Spanish winner, earning spots in the 2025 Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. He joined Jon Rahm (2021 U.S. Open) as the only Spaniards to win USGA events. “We have many great Spaniards, many great legends,” Ballester said after his victory. “Being able to add my name into that history is pretty sweet.” Ballester’s amateur wins also include the 2020 Spanish Amateur and 2023 European Amateur; he currently stands No. 4 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He was named an honorable mention All-American in each of his first three collegiate seasons at Arizona State.

5. He could earn a PGA TOUR card this spring.

Ballester enters the WM Phoenix Open at No. 2 on the 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking, well within striking distance of North Carolina’s David Ford for the No. 1 spot. The top player on the ranking after this spring’s NCAA Championship will earn PGA TOUR membership through 2026, following in the footsteps of the past two PGA TOUR University No. 1s in Ludvig Åberg (2023) and Michael Thorbjornsen (2024). Ballester could make up ground and potentially surpass Ford with a strong showing at TPC Scottsdale. Nos. 2-10 on the final 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking will earn 2025 Korn Ferry Tour membership, with Nos. 11-25 earning PGA TOUR Americas membership. Ballester is aware of his spot on the ranking, and he looks forward to the challenge across the coming months. “It’s going to be really tight this year,” Ballester said Tuesday. “This one, from what I’ve seen at start of the spring season, players from first position to fifth position are very tight on points. … It’s going to be a battle, I’m pretty sure of that. Just trying to play my best, and we’ll see where I stand at the end of the semester.”