Josele Ballester Crowned Champion at the Saudi International
Spanish golfer Josele Ballester won the Saudi International, achieving his first professional victory. Ballester, who was U.S. Amateur champion, demonstrated his skill by closing the competition with an impressive round of 65 strokes, six under par.
The tournament, which marked the final event of the International Series on the Asian Tour, saw Ballester finish with a total of 22 under par, with a three-stroke lead over his closest competitor.
Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe and Yosuke Asaji from Japan secured the two available spots for next year’s LIV Golf, by positioning themselves at the top of the ranking.
Vincent, who was part of LIV Golf in 2024, failed to stay in the Saudi Arabian-funded league, after finishing in 50th place in the ranking.
Ballester, with experience in college golf at Arizona State, joined the Fireballs team in LIV Golf last summer, achieving two top 10 finishes in six appearances.
Caleb Surratt (69) was Ballester’s escort, followed by Anthony Kim (70), who tied for fifth place, eight strokes behind the champion. This result represents Kim’s best performance since his return to golf last year at LIV, after a 12-year hiatus.
