On Dec. 5, in LaQuinta, Calif., lifelong Mesa resident and Red Mountain High School graduate Charlie Beljan qualified for the 2012 PGA Tour, a feat few aspiring golf professionals rarely accomplish.
Charlie’s road has been full of twists, turns and plenty of expectations. He remained poised and confident over three tenuous qualifying stages—what many revere as the most grueling process in competitive golf. Since turning pro in the summer of 2007, he proved this year he was up for the challenge more than ever. Charlie is the only professional to qualify for the 2012 PGA Tour residing in Arizona, an incredible statistic, with our state being the home of the second most touring professionals behind Florida.
He scored an astounding 25 under par over 14 rounds of golf in three different cities. “Charlie displayed resilience and will power that most professional athletes can only dream about,” said Ben Weir, director of instruction at Las Sendas Golf Club and one of Charlie’s mentors and coaches.
Charlie endearingly credits his fiancé Merisa Hansen, her parents, his parents Dennis and Anne, the entire Beljan clan, Alta Mesa Golf Club’s entire community, Cleveland Golf Corporation, and all his high school, college, and swing coaches for much of his success.
“With my father recently being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, I played inspired on every shot,” Charlie said. “He is my hero. I couldn’t have done it without all the love and support around me,” he continued. “It’s been overwhelming with everyone giving me the inner strength to pull through all my challenges.”
His major accolades include the 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion, three-year Arizona state high school individual champion, 2007 Arizona State Amateur Champion, 2008 and 2009 U.S. Open participant, as well as the most decorated recruit ever to sign with the University of New Mexico. Charlie’s accomplishments also include 2010 Gateway Tour Championship winner and money list champion, as well as two-time event winner on the 2011 Gateway Tour. Furthermore, Golfweek Magazine heralded him as the No. 1 mini-tour player in the nation spanning the past three years.
If you would like to follow Charlie on Facebook, Twitter, or catch his weekly statistics on www.pgatour.com, you can begin from Jan. 12 through 15 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.