There’s a lot of talk surrounding Masters amateur Jose Luis Ballester this week, and each headline seems to be less about his golfing skills than the last.
First, there was his hat, wildly upsetting golf purists.
Then, if anyone remained un-offended, Ballester, 21, proceeded to pee in Rae’s Creek.
Now, his girlfriend is going viral, too.
If Ballester is to be the next big thing in golf, Hayden Riley James will be right there with him.
James supported Ballester all throughout the week — unceremonious though it ended, with the reigning U.S. Amateur champion from Spain missing the cut after shooting scores of 76 and 78.
Despite his all-too-soon ending — and much of the golf world wanting him banned from the Masters for his antics — James remained proud of her boyfriend and posted several photos to her Instagram feed to that effect.
The golf, and wider world, have responded; for as much adulation as she is heaping on James, the internet is bestowing even more onto her.
Ballester is a college golfer at Arizona State and earned a spot in the 2025 Masters after winning the U.S. Amateur last summer.
His hat on the first day of the holy tournament featured his university’s team name, the Sun Devils, in an upside-down font — a fashion trend unbeknownst to most people above Ballester’s age, and therefore most of the people watching the Masters.
Fans felt the hat was unprofessional and too aesthetically displeasing for an event so storied and grandiose.
But Ballester was just getting started.
Jose Luis Ballester took a piss in Rae’s Creek in the middle of the Masters.
— Mark Harris (@itismarkharris) April 10, 2025
Upside down script hat plus urination in the most-famous creek in golf is QUITE the combo.
pic.twitter.com/giBzWuH947
“I completely forgot that we had those restrooms to the left of the tee box,’’ Ballester explained after he was caught peeing into Rae’s Creek.
“I really need[ed] to pee [and] didn’t really know where to go, and since [Justin Thomas] had an issue on the green, … [I decided] to sneak here in the river and [figured] people would not see me that much.’’
Ballester eventually apologized, but only after claiming, “If I had to do it again, I would do it again.”
“I already apologized to the club, and I think we just move on from this moment,” Ballester said.
He may be ready to move on from that moment, but after the polarizing, viral week, fans aren’t nearly as eager. Ballester and his girlfriend, it appears, are here to stay.