Jose Luis Ballester (Arizona State Athletics Photo)
The Masters Tournament at Augusta National is the premier golf event of the year, and one of the top storylines is which amateurs will step up into the bright lights and play well on the biggest stage.
The Masters invites amateurs who have reached the finals of the US Amateur or won the British Amateur or the US Mid-Amateur. Also included are the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific Amateur and Latin American Amateur.
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Last year, Neal Shipley of Ohio State, the 2023 U.S. Amateur runner-up to Nick Dunlap, made headlines as the low amateur and his opportunity to play with Tiger Woods in the final round. Shipley also went on to win low amateur honors at the U.S. Open.
This year, five amateurs will tee it up on Thursday at Augusta National. Jose Luis Ballester, the 2024 U.S. Amateur champion; Noah Kent, the 2024 U.S. Amateur runner-up; Justin Hastings, the 2025 Latin American Amateur champion; Hiroshi Tai, the 2024 NCAA Division I individual national champion; and Evan Beck, the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion.
There are two amateurs who have since given up their exemptions into the Masters after turning pro. Wenyi Ding, who won the 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur, and Jacob Skov Olesen, who won the 2024 Amateur Championship.
Jose Luis Ballester
How he qualified: 2024 U.S. Amateur Champion
The Arizona State star broke through at the U.S. Amateur, which was also his 21st birthday and defeated Noah Kent in the final match to become the first Spaniard to win the Havermeyer Trophy.
He’s also the fourth Sun Devil to win the prestigious trophy, joining Billy Mayfair (1987), Phil Mickelson (1990) and Jeff Quinney (2000).
“I think I'm still not conscious of what just happened today,” Ballester told the USGA after his win. “Super thankful to have the opportunity to live this moment, especially on my 21st birthday. That's what I'm considering now.
He added, “Super sweet. Again, we have many great Spaniards, many great legends, and being able to add my name into that history, it's pretty sweet.”
He then secured his first collegiate win at the 2024 Fighting Illini Invite. Ballester is currently ranked No. 7 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings.
Noah Kent
How he qualified: 2024 U.S. Amateur runner-up
Kent finished runner-up in the 2024 U.S. Amateur to Jose Luis Ballester. The University of Iowa sophomore was trying to be the first Hawkeye to win the U.S. Amateur and second USGA championship following Gene Elliott’s 2021 U.S. Senior Amateur victory.
Kent recorded eight top ten finishes last year in ranking tournaments and also secured a runner-up finish at the 2024 Porter Cup.
Kent transferred to Florida from Iowa in December and will compete for the Gators next fall.
Evan Beck
How he qualified: 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up
Beck has been one of the top mid-amateur's in the world for a while, and he finally got his signature win at the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur, defeating Bobby Massa in dominant fashion 9 and 8 in the final match.
Before the win, Beck was a two-time USGA runner-up, including 2023's 3-and-2 defeat to Stewart Hagestad at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. He also secured wins at the 2024 Coleman Invitational, the 2024 George Thomas Invitational and made the final 16 at the 2024 Crump Cup.
Beck is currently ranked No. 2 in the AmateurGolf.com Mid-Amateur Rankings.
Hiroshi Tai
How he qualified: NCAA Division I Individual National Champion
The Georgia Tech star put on an impressive display of consistency to win the 2024 NCAA Division I Individual National Championship, never falling out of the top ten for the week to earn his spot in The Masters Tournament.
Even more impressive was the golfers that Tai held off in the final round. 2023 Walker Cuppers Gordon Sargent of Vanderbilt and Ben James of Virginia, 2024 Ben Hogan Award recipient Jackson Koivun of Auburn and Tyler Goecke of Illinois, Luke Clanton of Florida State, who now has his PGA Tour card, and Max Herendeen of Illinois all finished T2. James and Sargent each had birdie putts on No. 18 to tie the lead, but both missed, giving Tai the win.
Justin Hastings
How he qualified: 2025 Latin American Amateur champion
The San Diego State star secured his breakout win recently at the 2025 Latin American Amateur and securing the last spot for amateurs in The Masters Tournament. Hastings also won the 2025 SD Lamkin Invitational and finished in the top 15 in the PGA Tour's Mexico Open.
The 21-year-old will become the first player from the Cayman Islands to compete in the U.S. Open and the second to compete in the Masters and The Open. Aaron Jarvis competed at Augusta National and made the cut at the Old Course (St Andrews) in 2022 following his LAAC victory.