On Sunday, the Arizona State men’s golf program recorded another major accomplishment in its rich history as senior Josele Ballester won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship and earned a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open Championship.

“I still think that I haven't soaked this victory yet. I'm going to need a couple more days to realize what it means to be the US Amateur Championship,” Ballester said on Monday. “ I'm just trying to enjoy this moment as much as I can. It's amazing.”

Ballester became the fourth men’s golfer from ASU to win that tournament, following in the footsteps of Sun Devil greats Billy Mayfair, Jeffy Quincy, and Phill Mickelson. He is also the only Spaniard ever to win the tournament, and fellow countryman and former ASU golfer Jon Rahm has been an inspirational part of Ballester's college career.

“Being the first Spaniards to accomplish it's even more special,” Ballester said. “It's pretty cool. I mean, a guy like John Ram that came here to ASU, and we all know what he has turned into, as one of the biggest golfers in the world, it's really amazing and inspirational. So having the chance to play with him, learn from him, and also having him reach out when I won this tournament, it's pretty sweet.”

Ballester had to overcome language and cultural barriers when he first arrived in Tempe and go through that acclimation without it hindering him from becoming a top golfer for ASU while connecting with teammates and becoming more comfortable on the course. Even in light of this recent accomplishment, Ballester admitted that the path was anything but a smooth journey.

“I feel like when you come to the U.S. from a different country, there's always some transition in time that it's kind of hard to adjust,” Ballester reflected. “My English was okay and decent when I came in; there is still that language barrier that sometimes makes you not feel that confident to maybe chat with them or be part of them.

“I felt super confident and super comfortable when I came in with all the team, and I feel that that really helped me to pass that transitioning time easier.”

The Spaniard’s confidence in his game pushed him to new heights, devoting more attention to his short game around the green and having that serve as his primary focus. Consequently, Ballester’s sureness grew, allowing him to make any difficult shot that he was ultimately tasked with.

“When you start getting those reps, you just win confidence, especially with my short game,” Ballester remarked. “I feel like when I don't practice my short game for three days, I pretty much lose all my feeling. But when I keep practicing and practicing, I become more confident, and I'm not afraid of any of the shots that I can heat even under the most pressure.”

Ballester is resolved to continue and build on this momentum, hitting another stride and staying aggressive with his game during his senior year in the hopes of accumulating more accolades. He believes that his mentors and role models, who share the same background as he does, have and will continue to aid him in his development.

“I had the chance to learn from John Rahm and David Puig, two very aggressive players,” Josele said. “I learned from them that if you want to win, you're going to bring it. Nobody's going to give it to you. So you've got to be aggressive.

“That's what I've been doing lately, and it's been working out pretty well.”