(Photo: Thomas Fernandez/Sun Devil Athletics)
While his teammates soak up the sandy beaches of Puako, Hawaii, Josele Ballester competed in day one of the WM Phoenix Open where he aims to make the cut and content deep into the weekend. Ballester is T67 after going even through the first 16 holes before play was suspended to darkness just before 6:15 p.m..
Ballaster has had a scorching 2024 season with the Sun Devils and is currently second in the PGA Tour University ranking. He joins his teammate Preston Summerhays on the list of Arizona State golfers to participate in the WM Phoenix Open while on the Sun Devil roster.
In the first round of the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, Summerhays struggled to gain his footing, finishing with 2-over after Friday’s round, four shots short of making the cut.
Ballester still has two more holes to complete in his first round, but with two par-4’s left ahead of him, including the scoreable and drivable 17th, Ballaster has a chance to propel himself up the leaderboard.
The current No. 1 ranked golfer in the world Scottie Scheffler found himself even going into the final four holes but made two birdies, including one on the 17th hole, and sits in a tie for 27th after the first round.
If Ballaster hopes to outpace Summerhays’ performance from three years ago and follow in the steps of Scheffler he will need to execute down the stretch when he tees off tomorrow morning for the second round at 9:10 a.m. MST.
