University of Iowa's Kent to Face Spain's Ballester for U.S. Amateur Title

CHASKA, Minn. - For a third consecutive round Saturday, University of Iowa sophomore Noah Kent never trailed during his semifinal match against Jackson Buchanan, en route to victory, 2-up, to reach the championship match of the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship Sunday at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Since the Round of 64 began Wednesday, the Naples, Fla., native has now played 83 holes of match play, of which he's trailed for only five holes.

“It's all up here in my heart; I have way more competitiveness,” said Kent, who's appearing in his first USGA championship this week. “I feel like I have a lot more belief in myself, and I have a lot more drive to want to get where I want to go. I just feel like I want it a lot more than I used to.”

Kent will now face the 10th-ranked amateur in the world, Jose Luis Ballester, during Sunday's 36-hole championship match.

“Tomorrow is a little bit more of a marathon—36 holes,” Kent said. “You can't really think about it too deeply. You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself because that's when you play badly. You kind of got to free ball the whole golf course.”

Kent qualified for the U.S. Junior last season, but was forced to withdraw from the championship after breaking his wrist.

“You're on the sideline from the game you love for 11 weeks, and you see everybody out there hitting golf shots, and you're just sitting on the couch,” he said. “You can't even do anything. You get out there, and you're just like I want to do it.”

Despite two bogeys during his opening nine Saturday, Kent managed a 1-up lead over the University of Illinois' Buchanan.

“I guess trying to get into it. You're in the semifinal of the U.S. Am. It's going to linger in the back of your head what really can happen if you make it to the championship match,” Kent said Saturday. “I did a good job of taking advantage of the holes he kind of messed up on early. I messed up too, but I felt like I was a little bit more steady in the beginning, which helped."

Kent birdied the birdied the par-5 11th to go up by two before Buchanan converted a birdie chance at the par-3 17th to pull within one.

Winning the 18th with a birdie sent the 19-year-old Kent to the finals Sunday, 2-up.

Ballester, a senior at Arizona State University, fell behind countryman Luis Masaveu early during his semifinal match Saturday, before drawing even with a par at the par-3 eighth.

Taking the lead for good with a birdie at the ninth, Ballester won the 13th and 14th, and would hold on for the victory, 3-up, over Masaveu to reach the finals in his second appearance at the U.S. Amateur—the first time a Spaniard has reached the finals.

“I think I'm still not conscious what just happened today. It's still an unbelievable feeling,” Ballester said after reaching the finals Saturday. “Super grateful for the opportunity to compete in the U.S. Amateur Championship. Just grateful that I'm living this moment.

“I again striped it today. Missed a bunch of putts on the front nine, but again I kept trusting in my swing. I made a couple of wrong putts on the back nine and hit really good tee shots on 14, 15, 16 to kind of close the match. So again, I was pretty calm all the way, feeling super confident with my swing, and that made it easier.”

The 36-hole championship match of the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Hazeltine National Golf Club.



THE 124TH U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
HAZELTINE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
CHASKA, MINN.
7,548 YARDS, PAR 72


SATURDAY'S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
Noah Kent, Naples, Fla., def. Jackson Buchanan, Dacula, Ga., 2-up
Jose Luis Ballester, Spain, def. Luis Masaveu, Spain, 3 and 2


FRIDAY'S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
Noah Kent, Naples, Fla., def. Ethan Fang, Plano, Texas, 3 and 2
Jackson Buchanan, Dacula, Ga., def. Jacob Modleski, Noblesville, Ind., 4 and 3
Jose Luis Ballester, Spain, def. Bobby Massa, Dallas, Texas, 3 and 1
Luis Masaveu, Spain, def. Brendan Valdes, Orlando, Fla., 3 and 2


THURSDAY'S ROUND OF 16 RESULTS
Ethan Fang, Plano, Texas, def. Bastien Amat, France, 2-up
Noah Kent, Naples, Fla., def. Garrett Engle, Harrisburg, Pa., 4 and 2
Jacob Modleski, Noblesville, Ind., def., Omar Morales, Mexico, 2 and 1
Jackson Buchanan, Dacula, Ga., def. Tyler Mawhinney, Fleming Island, Fla., 1-up
Jose Luis Ballester, Spain, def. Christian Brand, Hurricane, W.Va., 2 and 1
Bobby Massa, Dallas, Texas, def. Ashton McCulloch, Canada, 23 holes
Luis Masaveu, Spain, def. Phichaksn Maichon, Thailand, 3 and 2
Brendan Valdes, Orlando, Fla., def. Peter Fountain, Raleigh, N.C., 3 and 2


WEDNESDAY'S ROUND OF 64 RESULTS
Luis Masaveu, Spain, def. GUNNAR BROIN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 3 and 2


TUESDAY'S FINAL STROKE PLAY RESULTS
T54. GUNNAR BROIN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 74-68—142
MC. BEN WARIAN, STILLWATER, MINN., 69-74—143
MC. JACQUES WILSON, CHASKA, MINN., 72-72—144
MC. SAM UDOVICH, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN., 74-74—148
MC. NATE DEZIEL, EAST GRAND FORKS, MINN., 84-69—153
MC. JOSH PERSONS, UNIV. OF MINN., 81-74—155
MC. JACOB PEDERSEN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 73-83—156


For complete tournament results go to: