U.S. Amateur champ Jose Luis Ballester joins LIV Golf

U.S. Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester signed a multi-year contract with LIV Golf, the upstart circuit announced Wednesday.

Known as "Josele," Ballester will make his professional debut this week at the Virginia event and be part of the Fireballs team captained by fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia.

"We are very excited about Josele joining the team," Garcia said in a statement. "Personally, I have known him since he could pick up a golf club and he has worked with my father (Victor) as his coach throughout his golf career. Josele is going to be a great addition not only to the Fireballs but also to the LIV League and I can't wait to be with him by his side as he makes his professional debut."

Ballester, 21, currently is No. 6 in the Official World Amateur Golf Ranking with victories at the 2020 Spanish Amateur, 2023 European Amateur and the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club. He recently completed his senior season at Arizona State.

"First and foremost, I want to thank my family, coaches, friends, and Arizona State University for supporting me and believing in me to make it to this step of my career," Ballester said in a statement provided by LIV. "I am very excited about the opportunity to join Fireballs GC and continue to learn from Sergio and other greats."

Ballester will join Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Garcia on Fireballs. Luis Masaveu will remain in the lineup this week for the team while Puig deals with a back injury.

Phil Mickelson name-dropped Ballester as an example of a promising young player who has shown desire to join LIV Golf, thereby showing the growth of the circuit.

"If you look at the good young players from different parts of the world, not necessarily the United States, you've got Jose Ballester and Luis Masaveu and Tom McKibbin, and these young guys from other parts of the world are really interested in wanting to come to LIV and they get what it's about," Mickelson said.