es of Brown Advisory , an independent investment management and strategic advisory firm .
“ It was a very mature decision ,” Gary Beck said of his son ’ s transition into the business world . “ I ’ m sure on some level , it was a hard decision to make , but in talking with him , I don ’ t think he ’ s ever looked back .”
PUSHING FORWARD
The younger Beck wasn ’ t ready to walk away entirely from competitive golf , however . His application to reinstate his amateur status was approved in 2018 , and he began spending more time working on his game . It paid off in 2021 when he ended an 11-year championship drought with a flurry of victories . He teamed with Mikey Moyers to win the VSGA Multi-Format team title , then added the Eastern Amateur championship before becoming the second player ever to win the State Open and VSGA Mid-Amateur in the same year .
In 2022 , he won the George C . Thomas Invitational at Los Angeles Country Club — a title he successfully defended in 2024 ( the event was not played in 2023 due to the U . S . Open being held at LACC ). Beck finished runner-up at the Coleman Invitational and became the first player in 19 years to repeat as Eastern Amateur champion . He also played on the victorious U . S . team that defeated Europe to win the Concession Cup , a Ryder Cup-style competition for mid-amateurs in Valderrama , Spain .
“ He was going to work until he got back to where he wanted to be . That was never really a doubt , unless he just didn ’ t want to play golf anymore . If he ’ s going to play , he ’ s going to do it well ,” said Moyers , who has been friends with Beck since their junior golf days and caddied for him during U . S . Open local and sectional qualifying last year .
“ It ’ s fascinating to watch him ,” Moyers added . “ I ’ ve never played with anyone who gives you the feeling he ’ s just not going to mess up . He gives you a sense of confidence because you feel like he ’ s never going to hit a bad shot .”
During his tenure with Vantage Consulting Group , Beck struck up a friendship with boss and mentor Mark Finn , who isn ’ t a teaching professional but used to have a fair amount of game himself . They started working together in 2019 and came up with a swing tweak that allows Beck to shallow the club without relying on excessive side bend , taking pressure off his spine and back muscles .
“ Evan started trusting me when I made it clear we would not attempt to rebuild his swing ,” Finn said . “ He laid down his neuronal pathways decades before we met . My job was and is to make the minimum changes necessary to produce a consistent swing within pre-specified parameters . Successfully doing this requires understanding golf swing dynamics , the kinematic sequence , and what Evan
Evan Beck and Stewart Hagestad at last year ’ s U . S .
Mid-Am final .
means when I ask him how a swing feels . We share a common language .”
In simpler terms , Beck noted , Finn “ understands my swing .”
“ I don ’ t want to overstate my role . The best way to end up with a world-class diamond is to start with a world-class diamond and do nothing to mess it up ,” Finn said . “ Evan is a joy to work with . He has fantastic athletic ability , patience , and trust . His talent is incredible .”
PASSION RESTORED
Through all the ups and downs , Beck also rediscovered something that had been missing since he started climbing the ranks in golf and put pressure on himself to perform at an elite level : his love for the game .
“ It ’ s back to being a hobby , something I do on the side ,” he said . “ I ’ m happy to be able to play in some of these events every now and then . It ’ s a nice way to stay competitive and travel and see different parts of the country .”
“ Amateur golf may be the purest form of the game because you ’ re just out there for the love of the competition ,” added Paolini . “ Everything that got us into the game in the first place is what amateur golf stands for .”
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S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2024 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 21