by Jeff Skinner
They say that Disney World is “where dreams come true” and that could not have been truer on Sunday afternoon. Charlie Beljan’s dream was rooted in his nightmare Friday where a panic attack forced him to be hospitalized. But from the darkest of places on Friday when he “felt like I was going to die” Beljan gathered himself and got back on the course at The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic and worked his own miracle.
Beljan started the week at 139th on the PGA Tour money list and was looking at losing his card and heading back to Q-School. But his improbable victory earned him $846,000 and propelled him to 63rd on the money list. He’ll be living his dream on the PGA Tour for the next two years with that hard earned exemption and Beljan couldn’t have written a better feel good story for the final event of the season.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes days like Friday weren’t very enjoyable, but the score was wonderful, and I think it taught me that it doesn’t matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke,” Beljan said. “I was literally fighting for my life and I just think that you can’t ever give up.”
“I was just happy that the day was over,” Beljan said. “I was happy that I was a PGA TOUR champion. I was happy that my wife and my baby were here. It still isn’t real.”
It is real, a real true to life dream come true in the land made famous for that. It was absolutely one of the best stories of the 2012 season.
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