The Official PGA TOUR Profile of Sahith Theegala. Everyone raves about Theegalas short game and iron play, but his demeanor on the course is an equal weapon, according to those close to him. I definitely have a lot of pride in being an Indian golfer, Theegala said. 21. . He took birth in Orange, California, U.S. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. PGA TOUR Stats, bio, video, photos, results, and career highlights I absolutely freaked out. Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. So, Id definitely say my father. His longtime coach Rick Hunters favorite escape courtesy of a short game that he thinks has been world-class for eight to 10 years came at the Genesis Invitational in 2017. He credits his Indian heritage and his hard-working parents with helping him find success as a rookie on the US PGA Tour. So we want to tell you he is a professional Journalistalong with being a singer so his earnings are very good. Most things are low-key with Theegala. I say, Have fun. Why would I say Good luck? You already did your work on the range. His caddie, who had never caddied for a rookie until now, has appreciated the youthful exuberance and appreciation that Theegala has found on TOUR. He got to play St Andrews at the 150th Open. As an amateur golfer, Theegala won the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2020, the 2019 SGCA Amateur Championship, the 2017 Sahalee Players Championship, the 2017 Morse Cup with the Southern California Golf Association at the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. Watkins knew that Theegala didnt need to hit driver off the dogleg right at their home golf course, but he could only laugh when Theegala would hit it anyways. Now we are talking about his parents, He is the son of Muralidhar Theegala (father) and Karuna Theegala (mother). Here you can get all details about Sahith Theegala Parents. Even if someones mean to him, hed just be kind back to you.. When Smith took over Theegalas bag last fall, the thing that impressed him most about his game was the same that kept him coming back to recruit him for Pepperdine when he was an assistant: the ability to avoid bad rounds even when he didnt have his best stuff. . Very proud of my heritage and my background, Theegala told The Times of India. Its incredible.. His friends say theres zero chance thats changing now that hes become a PGA TOUR member, and it wont in the future if he becomes a superstar like they all think he will. Even these days, Theegalas pre-round warm-up routine catches his caddie off guard featuring shots that no other TOUR pro practices on the range before a round. Proud of him. When Beard first began recruiting Theegala, he did so as much for the wunderkinds resume as for his unconventional approach. Yeah, I wasnt too upset about the way it started, Theegala said. Sahith Theegala is the son of Muralidhar Theegala (father) and Karuna Theegala (mother). A couple weeks ago, Theegala played a casual round at Hillcrest Country Club with longtime friend Danny Oh, a buddy from their junior golf days. Also an honor roll student in each of his four years of high school, he graduated in 2015 and took his talents to Pepperdine, where he became the top college player in the country. His caddie Carl Smith, who recruited him when he was an assistant coach at Pepperdine, can only shake his head when he thinks about Theegalas escape on the drivable par-4 15th in the second round of last falls Shriners Childrens Open. Theegala was born in Orange, California, on December 4th 1997. Sahith Theegala is an escape artist. Hes just like, Carl, you have to see my courtesy car this week! Background of Sahith Theegala's Parents. 7. Sahith Theegala hits his tee shot at the third hole during the final round of the Phoenix Open on Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sahith Theegala acknowledges the cheering crowd after his final putt at the Phoenix Open on Sunday, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tiger Woods says hell return to PGA part time but doesnt know when, Scottie Scheffler arrives at Genesis Invitational after making Texas proud, Lakers playoff hopes take another hit after comeback fades vs. Minnesota, Ducks strike with a pair of late power-play goals to defeat Canadiens, With Norman Powell out, Clippers are edged at Sacramento for fifth loss in a row, Harvard-Westlakes Bryce Rainer fires out 92-mph fastballs in first start since 2021, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits. Im definitely very proud of my background and my Indian heritage, Theegala said. Even though he didnt win, hell take so much from it, Beard said. according to those close to him. 20. Theegala says he hopes to extend his coming-out party for another weekend when he tees off Thursday in in the opening round of the Genesis Invitational at the Riviera Country Club, the historic Pacific Palisades course where he won the Collegiate Showcase in 2017, earning an exemption into the tournament that year. He is of Indian heritage. I was looking at my assistant like, Hes going to be OK, Beard recalled, with a laugh. But this calmness thats uniquely Sahith. WM Phoenix Open: Spurred by family support, Sahith Theegala records life-changing finish. At least once every two years, Muralidhar made it a point to bring the family back to India, where his parents still live. Its so refreshing. Never, though, had he experienced a moment like this weekend, when he quickly became a cult hero at TPC Scottsdale. Hunter took him to the putting green, and hed flick his wrist at every putt, and they all went in. But he came back strong as a fifth-year senior, setting a school record with a 69.04 scoring average. I knew my family and friends would be out there. Hunter and Theegala have realized that he offsets the side bend best with the driver when he swings with a slower tempo, which the two have been working regularly on. Hes always been very comfortable in his own skin.. When Watkins went to watch him at the Fortinet Championship this past fall, he learned quickly Theegalas still the same guy. Sahith Theegala is of Indian-American nationality. We werent in the greatest financial situation when I was a kid. The Theegalas were not members of a private club, and Sahith was mostly playing at a public course called El Prado. 1,264 Sahith Theegala Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 1,264 sahith theegala stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. PGA Tour rookie Carson Young, seeking his first win, posted a 5-under 67 on Friday and built a 4-shot lead going into the weekend at the Puerto Rico Open. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Theegala was tied with Patrick Cantlay for the lead at 16-under with two holes to play and hit what he thought was a perfect three-wood off the tee at 17, a drivable 330-yard par four. Though he admitted to being "a little bit star-struck" when he teed off with PGA stars Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka on. He has an insane short game. Sahith Theegala hardly remembered the details, but his father did. Theegala played four years on the varsity and was on the All-Sierra League first team all four years. 5. "I'm definitely proud of my Indian heritage and I hope I'm inspiring other Indian Americans and people in India to know they can compete in sports," he told Global Indian. and his signature head move on the downswing isnt completely on purpose. Speaking in a Q&A he said: "Ive never gotten to meet Kobe and unfortunately, I never will, but he was definitely on top of my list. His maiden win on the PGA Tour was an unofficial one, coming at the QBE Shootout doubles event with Tom Hoge in December 2022. 8. So we want to tell you he is a professional Journalist. He faced a sandy lie with rocks all around the ball, on a downslope, pitching to an elevated green with a back-right hole location. Inherently, golf frustrates kids as they struggle through its steep learning curve. They proceeded to chipping, and Theegala stabbed at those, but they all either went in or ended up right beside the cup. Hes just hilarious that way.. 16. Search instead in Creative? Viktor Hovland aces the 7th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Smith has seen so many ridiculous escapes from wayward tee shots that hes just had to learn to trust Theegala when he wants to hit a recovery shot that he thinks is too risky or difficult. In high school, he was just one of those kinds of characters, and thats what he did, Watkins said. 19. The idea that he had a ton of pressure on him while Theegala could fly under the radar is just bogus. Yeah, it means a lot to me, and hopefully, I can keep being someone that they can root for.. Maybe it was his underdog story of a rookie playing on a sponsors exemption, or the look of wide-eyed wonder on his bearded face, or the way his cool name rolls off the tongue, but the raucous galleries at the frat-house-party-like WM Phoenix Open grabbed ahold of Sahith Theegala last weekend and wouldnt let go. Theegala has a best finish of second, and an average finish of 31st, in his 30 events during the past year (including 26 made cuts). POINTS WON WEIGHT ADJ. From a young age, he was very creative, as Muralidhar puts it. This shot from the exciting prospect happened at the 18th hole at Tiburn Golf. Thats why some shots sort of look weird and he may not pull them off because hes working the ball all the time.. Its not like Im just playing to make the cut or anything like that. I put a good roll, just missed. We talk about basketball all the time because I follow basketball and the Lakers a lot, Smith said. the thing that impressed him most about his game was the same that kept him coming back to recruit him for Pepperdine when he was an assistant: the ability to avoid bad rounds even when he didnt have his best stuff. Speaking to the PGA Tour Theegala said: "I learned chess when I was a young kid, but I didnt play for 10 years in between there. At the age of 19, he made his PGA Tour debut at the 2017 Genesis Open in Los Angeles - three years before turning professional. Anyone can read what you share. He plays very few straight shots. Is this the most wild st ever? Carl Smith, Theegalas caddie, said, walking up to Josh Loyo, his trainer. In the background, you can hear a young fan asking for Pereira's . 3. 10. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. All kinds of random stuff like that. Now we tell you about his religion is not known. He had won 8 Amature PGA tournaments and became Australian Master of the Amateurs in 2020. This is @SRTheegala just being Sahith Theegala - one of the most exciting young prospects in world golf! USA Today Adam Hadwin and Harry Higgs matched Koepka, also the 2015 winner, at 66. Who are Sahith Theegala Parents (Father, Mother), Siblings? I just knew I was going to wear it while playing I dont know if it was going to be hole eight because I had an eight jersey, or if I was just going to wear it during the last round. Sahith Theegala is the son of Muralidhar Theegala (father) and Karuna Theegala (mother). Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! He continued his season with a tied-for-sixth finish at the Genesis Invitational in February 2023. And the next tee shot, I put it under the lip of the fairway bunker, and Im like, OK, I cant do much about that, right? J. Vegas Full Leaderboard ESPN Sahith Theegala United States Birthdate 12/4/1997 (25) Birthplace Orange, California College. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. I played 33 holes with Phil [Mickelson] on Sunday, and obviously thats something Im never going to forget as a just-turned 19-year-old in college. He was the Sierra Leagues Athlete of the Year as a senior and the League MVP as a junior. That the fans mispronounced Theegalas name didnt particularly matter. Ive never seen anything like it, Smith said. On both weekend days, he was in the tournaments marquee threesome, including Sundays group that featured Koepka and Scottie Scheffler. Gary Hoskins. Type above and press Enter to search. Hes made five more starts on the KFT since then and has made the cut in each, his best finish a tie for ninth at the MGM Resorts Championship at Paiute. Hell hit like three or four straight 5-irons that cut 30 yards then hit a driver with a high hook. . Ranking all 30 Tour Championship players, Berger out of the Open, replaced by Theegala, Theegala rallies to hold onto Phoenix Open lead, Theegala leads Koepka, Schauffele in Phoenix, Rookie Theegala's 67 good for 1-shot Miss. I dont want to sound cocky or anything, but Im playing to win, Theegala said. By Sapana Bajracharya July 21, 2022 02:35 PM; Sahith Theegala is a professional golfer from United States. Im definitely proud of my Indian heritage and I hope Im inspiring other Indian Americans and people in India to know they can compete in sports, he told Global Indian. His Major debut also came in 2017 after he qualified for the US Open at Erin Hills. Sahith Theegala, a professional golfer in the United States, was born on December 4, 1997, to Indian parents in Orange, California. Theegala went to Pepperdine University in California where he studied Sports Administration. Find the latest Bollywood News and Celebrity Gossips from Latest In Bollywood. As far as courses he wanted to play, the two that stand out are the Old Course at St Andrews, and Royal Melbourne. His sponsors include PING, FootJoy, Unisys Corporation, Linksoul and BURN180. Theegala, though, never wavered. Mamba himself might be proud of this answer. Seemingly everyone who has played with him or seen him play has a story, and the plot follows the same script: Theegala escapes from a near-impossible. He had little fear blasting it through the fairway into the woods because he liked shaping it around trees anyways. Typically, this celebration is reserved for birdies of which Theegala had 24 this week. His friends say theres zero chance thats changing now that hes become a PGA TOUR member, and it wont in the future if he becomes a superstar like they all think he will. Sahith Theegala Parents, Ethnicity, Wiki, Bio, Age, Girlfriend, Career, Net Worth & More. While Matthew Stafford was winning the Super Bowl on Sunday, Scottie Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title. If you shoot 68 and lose, give credit to the other player. It was unbelievable to hear the galleries chanting his name and loving him it seemed like he became a fan favorite overnight, said Pepperdine golf coach Michael Beard, who flew to Phoenix for the final round. Theegala posted nine victories on the tour, and also won the 2014 Los Angeles City Championship, certainly no small feat. This kid can flat-out play. Im like, Oh my god, are you kidding me? And his caddies cracking up. That was definitely my most vivid memory of him shanking shots on the range for fun.. He would also birdie the 18th hole on his way to . He stands at a height of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall. His coaching style and leade Rather than saying, Who are you? he just said, Youre not supposed to be here. He just assumed that because of the color of our skin, Muralidhar said. Get to know rising star Sahith Theegala better with these 20 facts 1. He acknowledges his father as the reason he got into golf. Born in Orange, California, in 1997, Theegala started playing golf at a very early age and won the Junior Golf World Championships at ages six, eight, and 10. and that started when he was just 7 as Rick Hunter tells it. He likes to curve the ball a lot. We always love to meet each other.. Sahith Theegala World number 31 Statistics 31st Current OWGR Rank 30th Best OWGR Rank 2.5229 Average Points 131.18825 Total Points 52 Divisor 58 Actual Events Played EventsForm GuideBest Performances Download Player's Ranking History Download Player's Strokes Gained Counting Events EVENT TOUR WEEK YEAR FINISH Pos. He currently resides in Chino Hills, California. With that all in mind, and the knowledge that Theegala is a 24-year-old rook on Tour who still lives at home with Mom and Dad, youre right to wonder how hell hold up with Brooksie, Patty Ice, an Olympic gold medalist, bananas and a monkey hounding him. "I definitely think that Asian heritage part is . Working with golf gear and equipment over the last five years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I literally live a mile from where he crashed. Theegala in the past has acknowledged that he is more of a feel type of player and has never been into the mechanics as much as other players. His dream fourball would be Tiger Woods, his coach Michael Beard from Pepperdine, and his Dad, who doesn't know how to play golf but taught the game to Sahith. But Theegalas game was not as sharp as hed hoped during his PGA Tour debut at the Travelers Championship last weekend, as he shot even par over two rounds and missed the cut. His parents profession is not known. Hes giving high-fives to the people walking by. He wouldnt hurt a fly, Cootes said. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Hed go over to the putting area and just shank one and a ball would go flying by my head or something. He currently lives in Chino Hills, California. Its his very first pro tournament and hes on the leaderboard, Hunter remembered, and I said after, How did you feel? And he looked at me strange and said, What do you mean? This kid can flat-out play. He has a story. Theegala is a golfer from America and a member of the PGA Tour. 17. Really, really proud of him.. All the excitement of last weekend took a toll on Theegala, who played a practice round at Riviera on Monday but stayed home Tuesday and Wednesday to rest, turning down several media requests to recover from driving 2,000 miles or so to tour events in recent weeks. As a junior in 2017-18, Theegala led the Waves in stroke average (70.86), earned his second victory, was an All-WCC First Team selection for the third consecutive year, and was again named a third-team All-American. He currently lives in Chino Hills, California. Sahith Theegalas net worth is estimated to be $2 million. A Cali kid, the Lakers are his team. Getty Images. He put everything that he could into me. His ability to score when hes not at his best is incredible, and its because his short game is one of the best Ive ever seen. He also wanted to meet Kobe Bryant before his death in 2020. 1. He dropped for a penalty stroke, chipped to within 14 feet but missed that putt for par, settling for a bogey. . 2022. Ryan Masajedi Wikipedia states he is a highly acclaimed volleyball coach who has significantly contributed to the sport. He says, I cant get over it, so can you show me how to hit it around it? Hunter recalled. I always believed that my boy is something special, Muralidhar Theegala said. In 2016-17, he had five top-10 finishes, including his first collegiate victory, and was again an All-WCC First Team selection, also earning All-American third-team honors. Theegala was close to crying again in January when he finished off a college win at the Southwestern Invitational wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey over his collared shirt, two days after Bryants fatal helicopter crash. He won the 2014 L.A. City Championship by eight strokes after shooting 18-under over four days. I definitely think that Asian heritage part is a big part of why Ive reached this point.. and the natural talent was unlike anything theyd seen before. The PGA Tour announced the field for what's often known as golf's "fifth major," and Tiger Woods was not part of the group that will tee it up at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He diamond Bar won or shared the league title all four years and won CIF Southern Section titles in 2012 and 2013. Full-swing flop-shots from a foot off the chipping green made people fear for their safety. 18. He has one sibling, Sahan Theegala. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. What happened in the wake of Sundays 17th-hole collapse, which knocked the 24-year-old Chino Hills resident into a three-way tie for third place, further endeared Theegala to those in attendance and watching on television. His Indian heritage comes from his parents. Hes very comfortable with who he is.. I think theres kind of a stereotype people have that Indians arent great athletes, because theyre arent seen a lot in American sports. If youre not trying to win, what are you doing?, Golfers Pro Journey Starts With a Burst Bubble, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/sports/golf/sahith-theegala-pga-tour.html. "I got off to a pretty hot start . Similarly, Sahith shares an Indian-American ethnicity. In India, Muralidhar was a standout cricket and soccer player. His birth name is Sahith Theegala. In addition to competing for his high school team, Theegala also competed on the invitation-only Toyota Tour Cup, a highly prestigious tour in which junior golfers can hone their skills and compete against the top players in the region. Brett Quigley fired a 7-under-par 65 and leads the Champions Tour's Cologuard Classic by 1 shot over John Huston, Kirk Triplett and Brian Cooper. I dont know what excited him, but he was so excited, Murli recalled. Sahith Theegalais 24 years old as of 2022. The athletic talent is easy to explain. Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala is of Asian heritage. Theegala made one final start in 2020, missing the cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He also previously worked for World Soccer and Rugby World magazines. ", 9. Im really excited about getting a spot to my hometown event.. He wants us to be just as successful as he is., Added Oh: Hes truly one of the most humble, down-to-earth guys youd ever meet. Sahith Theegala is the son of Karuna Theegala and Muralidhar Theegala. Standing beside his cousin and son, Muralidhar leans back, raising both his arms in the air and yelling, Great putt buddy, great putt, before high-fiving everyone in sight. Everyone around Theegala has their moment when they knew he was special, and the natural talent was unlike anything theyd seen before. He made his debut at the U.S. Open Tour 2021 of PGA at Torey Pines South Course. All rights reserved. When Sahith was less than 2 years old, Muralidhar would prop the toddler up on his knee to watch Lakers games on television. Hunter points to Theegalas first TOUR start at the Genesis Invitational in 2017, when he opened with a 4-under 67 and was inside the top-10 after the opening round. In the big picture, that means Theegala wont get a two-year exemption to automatically retain his PGA Tour card. Last week, though, at Sony he was really excited about Klay Thompson coming back to the Warriors with Steph (Curry) and Klay back together.. Especially between Phoenix and the PGA Championship, I guarantee you most casual to slightly . As an undergraduate student interested in pursuing a masters in industrial engineering, Muralidhar worked on research with a professor who recommended he attend Kansas State for graduate school. Theegala made par on 18 and settled for third place and a check for $434,600, which doubled his career earnings and gave him a new outlook entering the Genesis Invitational. CreditJustin Milhouse for The New York Times. He just loves to be around us and have a good time, and hes super supportive. One of the things he told me is that the first two days, he almost didnt miss a shot, he hit it so good, and the last two days he didnt. (Theegala continued needing fashion help throughout his college career.) 12. He can be reached by email at theo.mackie@gannett.com and on Twitter @theo_mackie. As a young kid, Sahith first decided to try the sport after watching PGA Tour events with Muralidhar. Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a handicap of five. And it was different because we had no experience with sports at all, so he spearheaded the whole mission to college and professional golf. In Orange, California, Sahith Theegala was born to Indian parents; his adored mother is Karuna Theegala, and his father is Muralidhar Theegala. Theegala walked off the 18th green and into the arms of his parents, Murli and Karuna, with whom he still lives. He graduated from Diamond Bar High School in California, which is the same school that produced Kevin Na (opens in new tab). In light of whats going on, Im proud of who I am and what Im adding to the golf community in terms of diversity, Theegala said. In the same interview with the PGA Tour he said: "Its definitely my father. Theegala and Watkins found that bond early in high school, too, over their shared love of not only the Lakers but Theegalas favorite Laker Kobe Bryant. Search instead in. Pepperdine University and was named three-time NCAA All-American. And Riviera is one of my favorite golf courses, so nothing but good memories there. The story will go as far as Theegala's swing one shaped by a crooked spine and the Santa Ana winds takes it. It was an unusual visual at the end of a golf tournament, but not as unusual as what Theegala has often done before them. He then hit a 6-iron onto the par-5 green and two-putted for birdie to start his collegiate career. His birth name is Sahith Theegala. Speaking beside the eighth green, Muralidhar pauses mid-sentence when Sahith begins lining up a putt. Sahith Theegala hardly remembered the details, but his father did. Thats why, on Sunday morning, dozens of members of Theegalas family lined the first tee box, waiting for the hero they call son, or nephew, or brother, or cousin to start his final round which he began with a one-shot lead. Roy Cootes, Theegalas best friend and teammate at Pepperdine, said hes seen some crazy escapes from his buddy, but none left him speechless as much as what he saw in a practice round in Las Vegas one day at Southern Highlands Golf Club. He is 24 years old. His best finish on the PGA Tour came at the 2022 Travelers Championship where he ended T2nd. Theegala won the Junior World Golf Championships three times (at the ages of six, eight, and 10), and won at the 2014 AJGA Junior All-Star event at Robinson Ranch. Theres probably one shot a tournament that Im just, Alright, Im going to let him do it, I guess, and Ive never regretted it, Smith said. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, Who is Sahith Theegala? For his dad, Murli, it came when his boy won the Junior Worlds at age 6 playing cross-handed a tidbit he hadnt even noticed previously until a spectator mentioned it to him. His career-low round on the PGA Tour is a 62, which came at the 2022 American Express. A fresh pair of shoes was just in my locker. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. ), 2 pre-round warm-up exercises Sahith Theegala does before every round, Sahith Theegala finally added this common club to his Ping setup, 3 things to know after Saturday at the Sanderson Farms Championship, Nicklaus Award winner Sahith Theegala taking 'Mamba mentality' to the pro ranks. 55. He has a knack for getting out of trouble and making par.. A native of East Lyme, Conn., and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, he began writing for The Times in 1981. Sahith Theegala is an American professional golfer. Ultimately, were all trying to do the same thing in pro golf and thats make a successful career. Sahith Theegala has started his career at an early age, at Pepperdine University and was named three-time NCAA All-American. Stay tuned for more updates on LatestinBollywood. Actually, it's likely the vast majority of people tuning in have never even heard of him.
