Massa Beats Persons on His Way to U.S. Mid-Am Final
September 25, 2024
CHASKA, Minn. – Through four rounds and 65 holes of match play at the 124th U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club this week, University of Iowa sophomore Noah Kent has trailed for just five holes.
The Naples, Fla., native birdied his first four holes to begin his quarterfinal match against the University of California-Berkeley’s Ethan Fang Friday, on his way to a victory, 3 and 2, to advance to the semifinal round Saturday.
“I kind of like whenever the pressure gets really high,” Kent said Friday. “I kind of like whenever my back gets put against the wall, and you kind of have to make birdies to win holes. I can make a lot of birdies as I showed today. Just a good round of golf.
“I kind of got in the zone really early, and everything just kind of felt right in the beginning of the round.”
Carding five birdies during his opening nine Friday helped Kent to a 3-up lead through nine before Fang countered by winning the 10th with a par.
Kent reclaimed momentum of the match when he holed out for eagle from 215 yards at the par-4 11th.
Following it with birdie at the 12th gave Kent a commanding 4-up lead and he would close out the match with a par at the 16th to reach the semifinal round in his first appearance at a USGA championship this week.
Kent’s stepfather, Dany Fry, was part of the design team at Erin Hills, site of the 2017 U.S. Open. Fry is also close friends with Minnesota native and 1993 U.S. Amateur champion John Harris, who has been in contact with Kent all week at Hazeltine.
“I talked to him this morning. He was just like keep it simple today,” Kent said. “Keep doing what you're doing. You're good enough, and you belong here. You know what you need to do.”
Kent will square off against the world’s 15th-ranked amateur in fellow Big Ten golfer Jackson Buchanan, who took an early lead against University of Notre Dame’s Jacob Modleski during his quarterfinal match Friday and never looked back, advancing, 4 and 3.
In a battle of Spain during Saturday’s semifinal round, Arizona State University’s Jose Luis Ballester, the highest ranked amateur in the world remaining in the championship at No. 10, will face off against countryman Luis Masaveu, who currently sits No. 23 in the WAGR.
“It's amazing, just an incredible feeling, especially tomorrow morning I'm going to be competing against a really good friend,” Ballester said after reaching the semifinals Friday. “It's not just me, but two Spaniards in the semifinals, which is incredible.
“We've known each other for at least six, seven years, but we've gotten really close the over past three, four because we've played together a lot with the Spanish National Team, many European team championships together, many victories together. It's going to be a really fun match to watch.”
On Friday, Ballester fell behind after an early birdie to Texan Bobby Massa before drawing even with a par at the 10th.
A late rally, which included a pair of late birdies, helped Ballester reach the semifinals by downing Massa, 3 and 1.
Trailing by one to Florida’s Brendan Valdes through nine holes Friday, Masaveu evened the match at the 10th before taking his first lead of the day at the 12th with a par.
Valdez answered by winning the 13th, but Masaveu took control by winning three consecutive holes beginning at the 14th to close out the match at the 16th, 3 and 2.
“I don't really believe it right now,” Masaveu said Friday. “When I went to the golf course today, I was like, ‘I'm playing in the quarterfinals, I have a chance to go to the semifinals.’ I was not really believing it, but I just kept myself trying to play my game, and that's what I did today.”
The semifinal round of the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
THE 124TH U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
HAZELTINE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
CHASKA, MINN.
7,548 YARDS, PAR 72
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
3. 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: https://championships.usga.org/usamateur/2024/scoring.html
September 25, 2024
September 25, 2024
September 24, 2024
Contact Us
Have a question about the Minnesota Golf Association, your MGA membership or the contents of this website? Let us help.
