Manav Shah’s journey to the U.S. Golf Open
By Jodi Scott
For Manav Shah, the road to professional golf began long before his first tournament tee time. It started inside his family’s Bakersfield, CA, hospitality business – an entrepreneurial upbringing that instilled the discipline, drive, and attention to detail that now define his game.
“My parents (Sanjay and Bela Shah) have owned and operated hotels in Bakersfield since the 1980s,” Shah said. “Like a lot of Indian families in the hotel business, it wasn’t just a job, it was the whole life. The front desk, the upkeep, the long hours, all of it.”
As with many AAHOA families, hospitality was a shared effort. Shah watched his parents build their business together while creating a community among fellow hotel owners who became lifelong friends through AAHOA.
“Their entire friend circle came up the same way, all hoteliers, all AAHOA,” he said.
Today, Shah sees a familiar parallel in his own life as he pursues his professional golf career.
“Funny enough, I’ve got the same setup now,” he said. “My wife, Sonam, is doing for my golf career exactly what my mom does for the hotel. She’s the one keeping the whole operation running.”
As one of the few players of Indian heritage who competed in the U.S. Golf Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY, on June 18–21, Shah understands the significance of that moment, not just for himself, but for the next generation watching.
“Being one of the few players of Indian heritage in the U.S. Open was an honor I don’t take lightly,” he said. “I’ve worked most of my life for it and made every sacrifice this career asks for.”
His approach to golf is rooted in discipline and focus, shaped in part by the lessons he learned growing up in hospitality.
“The hospitality life is relentless service and showing up every single day, whether you feel like it or not,” Shah said. “And that’s professional golf. Nobody’s coming to do the work for you.”
But beyond the work ethic, Shah says one of the greatest advantages of growing up in the AAHOA community is the sense of connection that follows him wherever he travels.
“I play all over the country and the world, and there’s an AAHOA Member in almost every place I land,” he said. “That network my parents built means I’m never really far from home. Wherever I go, there’s a familiar face, a shared background, someone rooting for me.”
When Shah attended UCLA, he recalls seeing very few Indian golfers competing at the highest collegiate levels. Today, he sees a changing landscape.
“Now I see this wave of young talent rising through the ranks, here and around the world, and I’m so proud of them,” he said. “I was inspired by the few who came before me, and I hope I can be that same example for the ones coming next.”
While Shah hasn’t attended AAHOACON himself, he says his parents are regular attendees and that the event remains an important part of their year, another reminder of the close-knit hospitality community that helped shape his journey.
And for young people in AAHOA families considering big dreams of their own, Shah has a simple message: “If you have a dream, go after it with everything you’ve got. The foundation is already there. Your families built it. The support is there. So don’t hold back. Let it rip.”
In support of Shah’s journey, AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel shared his encouragement.
“We are incredibly proud of him, and all of AAHOA watched and cheered him on as he represented our community on one of golf’s biggest stages,” Patel said.
AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake also extended her best wishes.
“Manav’s story is a powerful reflection of the hospitality spirit – discipline, resilience, and heart,” Blake said. “His journey from a hotel family in Bakersfield to the U.S. Open is inspiring to our entire industry, and we are proud to have stood behind him as he represented the values our members live every day.”
Image: Manav Shah
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