Livingston resident Ridhit Beri was recently named the New Jersey Professional Golfers’ Association’s player of the year in the boys’ 16 to 18 age range.
Born in India and raised in New Jersey, Beri’s passion for golf began at a young age. Over the last five years, he has transformed his game from a beginner level to competing with some of the best golfers in the state.
Beri’s journey into competitive golf began in 2022, when he was 13. He did not play many tournaments that year, as he was still adjusting to the competitive stage. Despite this, he earned 60 points, placing him 3 5 th in the New Jersey Junior Player of the Year standings.
His breakthrough in competitive golf came in the summer of 2023, going into his tenth-grade year. He competed in 20 events across the NJPGA Junior Tour. His consistency was evident, as he finished in the top 25 in every tournament he played. His performance included five wins and four third-place finishes, earning him (Continued on Page A-6) (Continued from Page A-1) 316 points. By the end of the season, he was ranked second in the state in the 13-15 age group.
Player of the Year
Building on his success from the previous year, Beri entered the summer of 2024 with the goal of competing against older players. This time, he played in 18 tournaments on the NJPGA Tour. The results were even better: Beri won four of the events, came second three times, and finished third three times. By the end of the season, he had accumulated 363 points, earning him the top spot in the state rankings for his age group, designating him as the player of the year for his age group.
In addition to his successful junior tour, Beri also had a great high school golf career. He has been a varsity starter at Livingston High School for two seasons, contributing to the team’s strong performances. The Livingston High School’s golf team has qualified for the state championship both years, and in 2024, they came very close to qualifying for the Tournament of Champions, missing the cut by just one point. Despite falling short of the cut, the LHS team is looking forward to another strong season in 2025, with hopes of making another run at the Tournament of Champions.
Under the guidance of his coach, Rajat Beri, the young golfer has sharpened his game, with dreams of playing at the collegiate level. “What sets Beri apart,” says his coach, “is not just his skill in golf, but also his work ethic and mindset. He approaches every tournament with focus and the ultimate goal of winning.”
