Noah Kent (USGA Photo)
After starting the week with 312 golfers, the U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club is down to the Final Four, and each has a different story to tell.
Jackson Buchanan, of Dacula, Ga.
Buchanan is competing in his second U.S. Amateur Championship, having advanced to the Round of 32 last year at Cherry Hills. He played in the 2024 U.S. Open after qualifying, missing the cut by one shot. The rising senior at Illinois was the 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year, winning the Duck Invitational.
He finished in solo second place at the 2024 Big Ten Championships and T5 at the 2023 Big Ten Championships. He finished in solo second place at the 2022 NCAA Championships. He is currently ranked No. 8 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings.
Noah Kent, 19, of Naples, Fla.
The rising sophomore at Iowa is currently ranked No. 212 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and is competing in his first USGA championship. He has been playing well recently, finishing second at the 2024 Porter Cup.
At Iowa, he finished inside the top 25 in five of seven fall events, was the runner-up at the 2023 Western Junior Championships, and recorded a third-place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic.
Luis Masaveu, 21, of Spain
The 2024 Portuguese International Amateur champion is currently ranked No. 21 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and is competing in his first U.S. Amateur Championship and first USGA championship. He made the cut in the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon, finishing 78th, and was the runner-up at the 2024 Spanish Amateur.
He represented Spain in the 2022 and 2023 World Amateur Team Championships and was the runner-up in the 2023 Lytham Trophy.
Jose Luis Ballester, 20, of Spain
The rising senior at Arizona State is competing in his second U.S. Amateur Championship, missing the cut in the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills. He is currently ranked No. 34 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and recorded Three top-10 finishes in 2024
He earned honorable mention All-America honors in each of his first two seasons, was the 2023 European Amateur champion, and played in the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Quarterfinal results
No. 41. Noah Kent def. No. 64 Ethan Fang 3 and 2
No. 53 Jackson Buchanan def. No. 20 Jacob Modleski 4 and 3
No. 47 Jose Luis Ballester def. No. 23 Bobby Massa 3 and 1
No. 3 Luis Masaveu def. No. 27 Brendon Valdes 3 and 2
Final Four matchups
No. 41 Noah Kent vs. No. 53 Jackson Buchanan 2:00 p.m. ET
No. 3 Luis Masaveu vs. No. 47 Jose Luis Ballester 2:10 p.m. ET