Building blocks for Ballester in PGA Tour debut

(Photo: Thomas Fernandez/Sun Devil Athletics)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Early Friday morning ASU senior Josele Ballester finished out his first round with two pars and looked poised to make his first cut on the PGA Tour. Six bogeys on cut day led to Ballester going home early at the WM Phoenix Open.

The final scorecard for Ballester read as 71-75 (+4), despite a back nine in round 2 of only 1-over. The front nine is what was the dagger for the Spaniard with four bogeys and only one birdie.

Ballester resumed his first round at 8:15am and teed off his second round at 9:10am, beginning on the back nine. The struggles started for Ballester when he drove it in the trees on hole 11 and then missed a five footer on 12, both leading to bogeys which put him three back of the projected cut line. He was never able to fight back with only two birdies the rest of the way and the cut line moving to 2-under.

Consistency wasn’t there for Ballester having negative strokes gained around the green and putting on Thursday, then went vice versa today with negative strokes gained off the tee and approach to green. A tale of two rounds for PGA TOUR University’s second ranked senior.

Ballester showed off his power on cut day, with the fifth longest drive of the day, mauling 368 yards on hole 9 which led to one of his two birdies. The U.S. Amateur champion consistently outplayed the professionals in his group; on hole 13, he outdrove them by 50 yards and finished as the low scorer among the three players.

The second birdie of Friday’s round came on the par-3 hole 4 sinking an 11 foot putt, Ballester’s longest of the week. He was behind the eight ball the whole day, scrambling on 12 holes, getting up and down on seven of those occasions.

On the positive side of things, Ballester had a lot of support with him during the People’s Open. The ASU women’s golf team, showed up Friday to cheer him on, while the men’s team is currently playing in Hawaii. A lot of cheers after shots and walks down the fairways from Arizona State fans. Ballester also received loud chants of his name on the famous par-3 16th hole.

Ballester will rejoin the Sun Devils in Mexico on March 2nd, for the Cabo Collegiate. He has a busy schedule ahead with four tournaments in March and a trip to Augusta National ahead of him.

His week cut short at TPC Scottsdale included many positives, and it is hoped that Ballester will carry those lessons into the spring collegiate season and The Masters.