Noah Kent and Jose Luis Ballester take care of business, will meet in U.S. Amateur finals Sunday

“I started crying before the interview,” Kent told reporters afterward. “It means the world. I’ve had a couple buddies play in majors and to see my name and be in Augusta in April and at Oakmont, you can’t really even put it into words.”

A senior forthcoming at Arizona State, Ballester is the first Spaniard to make a U.S. Amateur final. Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal didn’t do it. Garcia reached the 1998 semifinal before he lost to Tom McKnight.

Ballester said Garcia messaged him in the first minutes after he won Saturday to congratulate him.

“I think I’m still not conscious what just happened,” Ballester said. “It’s still an unbelievable feeling. Super grateful for the opportunity to compete in the U.S. Amateur championship. Just grateful I’m living this moment.”

Ballester beat a countryman, a Spain national teammate and a friend. He did so after he trailed by a hole through the first seven, then won the eighth, ninth, 13th and 14th to reach an insurmountable three-up lead.

“It honestly made it a little bit easier,” Ballester said about facing someone so familiar. “I felt I was more nervous yesterday and the previous day than what I was today. Even with all the people in the crowd, I was super calm all the way. I think that’s because I had a great buddy next to me.”