Masters 2025: Amateur apologizes to Augusta National after incident at Rae’s Creek
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jose Luis Ballester’s Masters debut is one he’ll never forget. The current U.S. Amateur champion didn’t post the scores he was aiming for, carding rounds of 76 and 78 to finish 10 over par and miss the cut by eight strokes. None of the five amateurs in the field made it into the top 50 to play the weekend. Still, for the 21-year-old Arizona State senior, the experience of playing alongside defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and two-time major winner Justin Thomas was the highlight of his young golf career.
“These guys are here especially because of how good they are around the greens, how much knowledge they have, how good they are at perceiving the slopes and reading greens,” Ballester said on Friday when asked what he learned from his playing partners.
It’s also safe to say that Ballester’s maiden Masters start will not be forgotten by others, albeit for a different reasons. During Thursday’s first round, while playing the 13th hole, Ballester was spotted by patrons relieving himself in Rae’s Creek. In a post-round interview on Thursday, the Spaniard acknowledged what happened.
“I’m like, I really need to pee,” Ballester said. “Didn’t really know where to go.”
Suffice it to say, the incident created headlines around the globe, something Ballester sounded like he regretted on Friday. “I already apologized to the club,” he noted after his second round, and I think we just move on from this moment.”
Moving on involves finishing out his final season with the Sun Devils this spring. The school is ranked third in the country according to the GCAA College Coaches’ poll, with the Big 12 Championship looming, followed then by NCAA Regionals and a hopeful bid to the NCAA Championship at Omni LaCosta Resort in California.
From there, Ballester is expected to begin his pro career with a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour through the rest of 2025 season. Ballester ranks fourth in the PGA Tour University program for graduating seniors, with the top five earning playing privileges on the KFT.
Ballester’s historic U.S. Amateur victory — the first ever by a Spaniard — has earned him a spot in June’s U.S. Open at Oakmont, regardless of whether he remains an amateur or turns pro. If he stays an amateur through July, he’ll also tee it up in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Reflecting on his Masters experience, Ballester is aware of the areas he needs to sharpen in the coming months and is motivated by the road ahead.
“I hit a lot of solid shots off the tee and with my irons both days,” he said. “But where those guys are clearly on another level is around the greens. That part of my game wasn’t great this week, but I’m excited to keep working and see how I stack up next time.”
