Five amateur golfers are set to make history at Augusta National this April, earning coveted spots in one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments – The Masters.
These young players will get to experience something most golfers only dream about: sleeping in the famous Crow’s Nest and competing for the Silver Cup, awarded to the tournament’s top amateur performer.
It’s a fitting tribute to Masters founder Bobby Jones, who was himself the greatest amateur golfer ever. The tournament has always held a special place for non-professional players.
The path to Augusta wasn’t straightforward for everyone. Two qualified amateurs – Wenyi Ding and Jacob Skov Olesen – gave up their spots after turning pro. But that opened the door for others to live out their Masters dreams.
Here are the five amateurs who made it:
Jose Luis Ballester made Spanish history by becoming his country’s first-ever U.S. Amateur champion. The Arizona State student, ranked 4th globally among amateurs, earned his spot by winning 2-up at Hazeltine National.
Evan Beck brings a different story. At 34, he’s over a decade older than his fellow amateurs. Beck finally broke through by winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship in dominant fashion – a 9&8 victory that erased the sting of two previous runner-up finishes in USGA events.
Justin Hastings represents the Cayman Islands and won his spot through the Latin America Amateur Championship. Fun fact: he first played in that tournament at just 14 years old, competing alongside now-pro Joaquin Niemann.
Noah Kent’s path is pretty remarkable. Despite being ranked outside the top 200 amateurs worldwide, he fought his way to the U.S. Amateur finals. The 6’4″ former hockey player only switched to golf after a chance meeting with Rory McIlroy – now they’ll play in the same Masters field.
Hiroshi Tai rounds out the group. The Georgia Tech student from Singapore earned his spot by winning the NCAA Division I championship in dramatic fashion, holding on for a one-shot victory despite a triple bogey on his second-to-last hole.
While none are favorites to win the Green Jacket, just making the cut would be huge. And who knows? With Augusta National’s knack for magic, anything’s possible.
