Manav Shah’s Dream U.S. Open Qualification: A Journey of Grit and Indian Roots

Manav Shah opens up on maiden U.S. Open qualification, golf journey, Indian roots and future dreams

By Jagdish Yadav, California, May 28

The 34-year-old will make his maiden Major appearance at the iconic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club from June 18, capping off a journey built on perseverance, discipline, hard work and an enduring connection to his Indian roots.

"It's been a roller coaster ride. I was pretty emotional as soon as I saw that it was final, that I had qualified. It's been amazing," Shah told ANI after the US Open qualification.

"All the support I've had has really been heart-warming, and it's been the beginning of a dream come true for sure," he added.

Born to Indian-origin parents and raised in Bakersfield, California, Shah began playing golf at the age of six. What started as father-son bonding soon became a defining force in his life.

"My dad fell in love with the game when he moved here from India. We would always go play, and I kind of grew up in a tough neighbourhood for a while here in the US. So, it was sort of a place for me to stay out of trouble," Shah said.

"It obviously taught me a lot of great things about life and honesty, discipline, and hard work. So, I was very blessed that I got to start in that way with golf early," he said.

Shah, who played collegiate golf for UCLA and graduated with a degree in Political Science in 2015, has spent the last decade travelling across continents as a professional golfer. He has won eight professional titles globally, with his biggest breakthrough coming at the 2022 Quito Open on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

The victory made him only the second Indian-American golfer to win a PGA Tour-sanctioned event after Arjun Atwal.

"Winning a PGA Tour-sanctioned event always holds a little more weight and value. That was eventually a springboard for me to play on the Korn Ferry Tour the year after. So, that win set up a lot of good things to come," Shah said.

Now preparing for the biggest event of his career, Shah said he will visit Shinnecock Hills ahead of the tournament to familiarise himself with the demanding course conditions.

"I'm getting back in the mindset of preparing for the event. I'm going to visit Shinnecock next weekend, so I'll be able to play two times there," he said.

"After that, I'll have a pretty good idea, and I'll have two weeks remaining to get my game as sharp as I can be heading into my first major," he said.

For Shah, the US Open has always held a special significance among golf's four Majors because of its open qualifying format and brutal competitive challenge.

"The major I've always wanted to be a part of is the US Open. It's the hardest one to win, and it's also the one that anyone can qualify for," he said.

Shah has also strengthened his connection with Indian golf through the IGPL and the Asian Tour. He competed at the IGPL Invitational in Chandigarh earlier this year, where he finished tied third alongside Indian golfer Sachin Baisoya.

Reflecting on his experience in India, Shah said playing regularly in the country has helped him reconnect with his cultural roots.

"I'm obviously very tied to my culture still and my roots in India. So, I knew the first time when I went to DLF to play as part of the Asian Tour that I wanted to make playing golf in India more of a regular thing for me," he said.

Speaking about Indian golf's future, Shah praised the growth of the sport and the efforts being made to build stronger developmental structures for young players.

"I think they're doing a great job. Especially IGPL, which has a vision of building golf courses and development complexes for the kids of India to learn the game and develop to a higher level," he said.

"There are so many good players now in India coming up and following the footsteps of the prior OGs before them. The more they leave India and play overseas, I think the higher their games can go," Shah signed off.

— ANI