Solano County pro golfer strives to make his hometown proud in bid for U.S. Open
FAIRFIELD -- About 100 golfers teed off in a high-stakes Bay Area tournament Tuesday, all with their sights set on qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Just five athletes would move on in the qualifier held at the Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton, part of the APGA Tour. Those five then advance to one final qualifying tournament ahead of the U.S. Open.
Only the best of the best move on. Professional golfer Aaron Beverly of Fairfield has been chasing perfection to achieve his own pinnacle of success, playing in the U.S. Open.
He wants to make his hometown proud while aiming for his big break.
"They always announce your name and your city. I love hearing, 'From Fairfield, California.' It just means something special to me because that's home. It's where I grew up playing golf," Beverly said.
He says the game is mostly mental, a constant battle to not let one bad shot unravel your entire game.
"It's all about just staying out of my way and playing my game," Beverly said.
Beverly's career started on the golf team at Armijo High School in Fairfield.
"Coming from Armijo, my senior year, I was the only kid to ever get a scholarship to college. We didn't know what to do, how to get recruited or go about that process. So when Sac State called my junior year, I hopped on the opportunity," Beverly said.
His drive came from his dad, who bought him a set of plastic clubs at just three years old, launching an obsession.
Eventually, an ace on the course in many ways was drawn from grace on the stage.
Beverly was also a ballet dancer for 15 years.
"It takes a lot of discipline. When you transition that to golf, learning how to swing in a different way or put your body in different positions, it translates really well," Beverly said.
After a conference win in his senior season at Sacramento State, Beverly joined the coaching staff at his alma mater.
At Tuesday's tournament, Beverly met some familiar competition in Sacramento State athletes Luke Dugger and Zach Mate, who also competed. Beverly even coached Mate himself.
"I give them a hard time, I'm not old, but I'm the old guy now compared to them," Beverly said with a laugh.
He stepped down from coaching in 2023 to focus on his professional career. Still, he says the job at Sac State saved his life.
"It was at a time in my life when I needed it. After my dad passed, I was in a limbo of not knowing what I wanted to do or what would bring me happiness. Because I was just lost. I was sad all the time," Beverly said.
But in golf, there's forever a closeness to his father.
"Pretty much every shot I hit, any tournament, he's always right there on my shoulder. I can hear him," Beverly said.
Even after years of practice, success does not come easily. He is working to perfect his craft every day from sun up to sundown.
"Trying to pursue playing professionally in golf is probably one of the harder professions. I tell people all the time, it's not for the faint of heart. A lot of nights you sleep in the car, a lot of traveling, a lot of driving," Beverly said. "But to me, it's rewarding."
Teeing off Tuesday, it isn't just the score that's top of mind.
"I want to make people around me proud and try to just be a good role model for anybody with the same dreams and aspirations as I have," Beverly said.
As far as Tuesday's results, Beverly unfortunately did not make the cut.
No local golfer moved on. Four of the advancing athletes were from the Bay Area and one was from the Los Angeles area.
Beverly's sights are set on next year and finally achieving his goal of making it to the U.S. Open in the near future.
