Spanish young gun Josele Ballester will return to both the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Capital.com Australian Open this summer, after making an immediate impression on Australian golf fans with back-to-back top-10 finishes on debut in 2025.
Ballester, 22, finished tied 10th at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland before backing it up with a tie for sixth at the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne, a performance that included a spectacular third-round 65 on the Composite Course to move into contention. He finished five shots behind champion Rasmus Neergard-Petersen.
“I had a fantastic experience in Australia last year, playing in Brisbane and Melbourne,” Ballester said. “The golf courses were exceptional, the fans were incredibly welcoming, and I felt at home from the moment I arrived.
“Finishing in the top 10 in both events gave me a huge confidence boost and made me even more excited to return. I’m looking forward to building on those performances this summer.
“The BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Capital.com Australian Open are two outstanding tournaments. The fields get stronger every year, making them a great opportunity to finish the season by competing against some of the best players in the world. I’m really looking forward to getting back and seeing what I can achieve.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be played at The Lakes Golf Club from November 26-29, the first time the tournament has been held in Sydney in nearly 30 years. Ballester will then head to Kingston Heath Golf Club for the Australian Open, another Melbourne Sandbelt gem, looking to go one better than his 2025 result.
Ballester’s resume includes winning the 2023 European Amateur and 2024 US Amateur Championship before turning professional and triumphing at the 2025 Saudi International on the Asian Tour. As a member of the Fireballs squad on LIV Golf, he’s recorded two top-five finishes in 2026 and currently leads the league in driving distance, averaging 287.2 metres off the tee ahead of reigning BMW Australian PGA champion David Puig and former world No.1 Jon Rahm.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said Ballester quickly became one of the standout international players during last summer’s tournaments.
“As one of the longest hitters of the ball in world golf, he’s an exciting player to watch,” Kirkman said. “He’s definitely one of the game’s emerging young stars and he showed with his performance last year that his game is perfectly suited to Australian conditions.
“Our fans really embraced him and we’re delighted to welcome him back as we continue building another world-class field for the BMW Australian PGA Championship.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland echoed those sentiments ahead of the Australian Open.
“Josele made a terrific impression during his first Australian summer, both with the way he played and the way he embraced the experience,” Sutherland said. “The Capital.com Australian Open has a proud history of showcasing the world’s best emerging talent alongside our leading Australians, and Josele certainly fits that mould.
“After two outstanding performances last year, we’re excited to welcome him back to Kingston Heath and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can produce in one of the game’s great national championships.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour and will launch the 2027 Race to Dubai, before being followed by the Capital.com Australian Open. The 2026 BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the New South Wales Government through Destination NSW, while the Capital.com Australian Open is supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria.
