Josele Ballester, European champion and place for the British Open

The Spanish Jose Luis Ballester He was proclaimed as the new 2023 European champion, after his victory this Saturday at the Pärnu Bay Golf Links course, in Estonia.

The Valencian, Josele Ballester, is the second Spaniard to win this tournament after also Valencian Sergio GarciaIn this way, he earned a place in contention for the prestigious British Open. The athlete from the Golf Federation of the Valencian Community dominated the tournament with authority and did so with two outstanding shots on holes 13 and 14.

Ballester, Co-leader after the first two days and lone star after the third, he began the final round in the best possible way, with an eagle on hole 1 that extended his lead to three shots over his pursuers.

However, on this windy day, a bogey at 6 and a double bogey at 10 narrowed the standings to the point where Dane Mads Laage and Englishman Jack Ingham tied the Spaniard for the lead with -21.

The tournament seemed doomed on some disputed final holes, but the resolution was brought to 13 and 14. On those holes the Nordic and the British holed out -bogey on both for both-, while Ballester scored birdie on both holes.

In this way, he got a juicy advantage that gave him half the title. He still had to survive a couple of difficult final holes by the sea which he solved with a couple of bogeys (15 and 18) without affecting the final result.

This victory relaunched the career of Jose Luis Ballesterwho before enrolling at the University of Arizona State achieved success in Spain, by winning the SM El Rey Cup 2020, in addition to proclaiming himself champion of Spain Benjamín 2013, Alevín 2015 and Infantil 2016 and 2017 .