I was looking at my assistant like, Hes going to be OK, Beard recalled, with a laugh. 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. Most golfers cant even say the dreaded word, but Theegala hits shanks on purpose for fun. 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. But when it was his time to tee off, the right-handed Theegala smashed a beautiful left-to-right fade in the narrow gap between a rock outcropping and a canyon. Visit our corporate site. Hell definitely just hit, like, shots with a ton of curve in his warm-up, Smith said. Who Are Kris And Bill Josey? Every year since, Laxmi has spent six months with them in California and six months back in India. I just grabbed those and brought them with me back to the hotel room, and I figured Ive been a big Kobe fan, regardless of how Im playing, Im going to try to honor him the last day. Ultimately, were all trying to do the same thing in pro golf and thats make a successful career. POINTS WON WEIGHT ADJ. Before a round, his father has one piece of advice for Sahith: I dont ever say Good luck, or Play well, Murli said. He plays very few straight shots. So we want to tell you he is a professional Journalist. He has one sibling, Sahan Theegala. Of the 156 golfers competing in the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, 23-year-old Sahith Theegala obviously isnt the biggest name in the field. Hopefully things work out, and by the grace of God, hell do wonderful. Since his PGA Tour debut last summer, hes jumped nearly 1,400 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking and is only going to continue to rise if he plays the way hes capable of playing. - Richard Bland Blasts PGA Tour Changes, These 2022 Golf Products Are About To Be ReplacedGrab A Bargain, Sergio Garcia Opens Up On 'Very Sad' McIlroy Fallout, I Tracked Every Shot Of Tiger Woods' Warm-Up, Rick Shiels' Ultimate 30 Minute Range Session, Ping, Unysis, RBC, Korn Ferry, UKG, Titleist, Zurich, FootJoy, Fall in love this February with a Golf Monthly subscription. Sahith Theegala hits his tee shot on Friday on the 8th hole at TPC Scottsdale. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! 10 and made four straight birdies on Nos. One of his hobbies away from the golf course is chess. A Cali kid, the Lakers are his team. I still dont know why he does it, but he just loves curving the ball.. Its what separates good from great, and Cootes has seen it over and over from his buddy during their days at Pepperdine, where Theegala swept all three major college Player of the Year awards as a senior Jack Nicklaus Award, Fred Haskins Award and Ben Hogan Award. Sahith Theegala is the son of Karuna Theegala and Muralidhar Theegala. Theegala had won the first tournament he played in at the age of 6, the prestigious Junior Worlds in San Diego, and won it again at ages 8 and 10. But make no mistake about it. His Major debut also came in 2017 after he qualified for the US Open at Erin Hills. He was playing online chess. 1-ranked Pepperdine team had their national championship hopes dashed in March by the coronavirus outbreak. He was playing online chess. 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. 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. Love to see him on the TOP of GOLF ??. To me, that kind of sums him up. He has an insane short game. Hes just looking at the shot and trying to come up with the best situation to get it in the hole, said Roy Cootes, Theegalas college roommate. 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. 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. He also does so at one of the most tumultuous times in history, as the PGA Tours restricted environment has been infiltrated by positive tests for the coronavirus among golfers and their caddies. He was a three-time all-American golfer at Pepperdine and made his professional PGA Tour debut in June 2020 at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. Search instead in Creative? I grew up watching Kobe and the Lakers with my dad. His parents often follow him in tournaments. 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 dropped for a penalty stroke, chipped to within 14 feet but missed that putt for par, settling for a bogey. He then hit a 6-iron onto the par-5 green and two-putted for birdie to start his collegiate career. I knew my family and friends would be out there. Im really excited about getting a spot to my hometown event.. The story will go as far as Theegala's swing one shaped by a crooked spine and the Santa Ana winds takes it. He grew up playing on public courses in Chino and calls El Prado Golf Course . The key for Theegala will be keeping the ball in the fairway. It literally couldnt have worked out better. I went back to my apartment, I had a few jerseys and a pair of Kobes that Ive had for a while. 7. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. Theegala posted nine victories on the tour, and also won the 2014 Los Angeles City Championship, certainly no small feat. He graduated from Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, California, in 2015, the same school that produced the PGA TOURs Kevin Na (2001). 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. Its so refreshing. 18. and that started when he was just 7 as Rick Hunter tells it. We talk about basketball all the time because I follow basketball and the Lakers a lot, Smith said. By Sapana Bajracharya July 21, 2022 02:35 PM; Sahith Theegala is a professional golfer from United States. His best finish on the PGA Tour came at the 2022 Travelers Championship where he ended T2nd. 5. Viktor Hovland aces the 7th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Its not like Im just playing to make the cut or anything like that. That was one of the best memories Ive ever had, Theegala said last weekend. PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. He just loves to be around us and have a good time, and hes super supportive. Sahith Theegala has started his career at an early age. Meet Phoenix Open leader with one hell of a Kobe story. 15. Actually, its likely the vast majority of people tuning in have never even heard of him. Hes always been very comfortable in his own skin.. by Mastercard. He has joined the private research university Pepperdine. Other notable alums from the school include Major League Baseballs Jim Edmonds, soccers Alex Morgan and the NBAs Keith Van Horn. Sahith Theegala Biography Sahith Theegala Wiki, Muni He (Golfer) Wiki, Age, Boyfriend, Parents, Height, Lpga, Rankings, House, Net Worth, Instagram, Robert Finley Americas Got Talent Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife, Kids, Family, Net Worth, Height, Instagram, Nationality and Ethnicity, Connor Cyrus Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Salary, Kids, Net Worth, WCAX, Height, Instagram, Miley Cyrus Grandma: Loretta Jean Palmer Finley Wiki, Age, Cause of Death, Family, Net Worth, Husband, Obituary. A native of East Lyme, Conn., and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, he began writing for The Times in 1981. Or his fantasy football teams. He did not disclose his personal information and wants to keep his personal information private. His birth name is Sahith Theegala. I felt OK. I was looking to see if he had any nerves or apprehension. 4 player in the world, Patrick Cantlay, was lining up his par putt on the reachable green. His scoliosis creates the problem of so much side bend on the downswing, and it really comes to light with the driver, not so much with the irons, Hunter said. 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. Its incredible.. Trust your game., Theegalas parents, who originally hail from India, impressed their culture and values upon their son. But when Beard first saw him, Theegala also shoved clubs into the wrong slots in his bag, wore socks pulled halfway up his calves and shirt slightly untucked. 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. Initially, Muralidhar planned to return to India after finishing his studies, but he fell in love with the U.S. I definitely think that Asian heritage part is a big part of why Ive reached this point.. Its a trait Muralidhar has seen since Sahith was old enough to play sports. THEE-GAL-A! filled the desert course at TPC Scottsdale, where the former Diamond Bar High School and Pepperdine University star stood atop the leaderboard for most of the four-day event and seemed on the verge of his first PGA Tour win before disaster struck on the penultimate hole. 4. Beside Theegala, two of golfs biggest stars Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele prepared for shots of their own, each pining for the 54-hole lead. But when Im around my friends and other golfers, its not something that I think about.. Not only was this the best performance of Sahiths young career, but he earned 145 FedEx Cup points a significant step towards staying on tour next year. When Sahith was less than 2 years old, Muralidhar would prop the toddler up on his knee to watch Lakers games on television. On June 26, 2022, he made his highest rank of 66 on PGA Tour. Sahith Theegala Parents & Nationality:-Sahith Theegala is an American professional golfer who plays in the PGA Tour. 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. Last week, though, at Sony he was really excited about Klay Thompson coming back to the Warriors with Steph (Curry) and Klay back together.. Actually, it's likely the vast majority of people tuning in have never even heard of him. His spine still bends to the right, and Theegala still sees a chiropractor regularly, who specializes in scoliosis, for treatment. 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. I could hardly play the practice round. His coaching style and leade Paired with Phil Mickelson for the final 32 holes on Sunday after a weather delay with thousands of spectators following along, Theegala hit his tee shot on the famed par-3 sixth hole featuring a bunker in the middle of the green over the bunker to the back of the green. Once, he hit seven or eight before a California Interscholastic Federation Finals match, which the team proceeded to win. USE CODE LOVE5 AT CHECKOUT TO GET AN EXTRA 5% OFF! 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. 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.. He was the 2010 Junior Masters Champion. Thats why some shots sort of look weird and he may not pull them off because hes working the ball all the time.. The No. Ans. He graduated in 2020 and also turned professional in the same year. Collect, curate and comment on your files. I was a basketball coach, that was my passion, so he and I hit it off immediately because were both huge Kobe fans and huge Lakers fan, Watkins said. So he decided to shake them off by intentionally hitting even worse shots. 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. Sahith Theegala Background. Just playing with top 10-20 guys in the world, seeing how they do their job and learning from it. He also oversees all Tour player content as well. But the eighth hole had been a trouble spot, with two bogeys in his first three rounds. Proud of him. Players had until 5 p.m. 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. The most remarkable part of Theegalas week came in his ability to succeed under pressure. His brother flew in from New Jersey where hes a student at Seton Hall @tpcscottsdale @golfweek pic.twitter.com/gV2uP55qUi, Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) February 13, 2022. And he didnt.. 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. With his collegiate career at an end, Theegala turned pro last spring and made his debut at the Outlaw Tours Lone Tree Classic in Chandler, Arizona, where he finished third and collected a $1,850 paycheck. 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. Bath 14. . When Watkins went to watch him at the Fortinet Championship this past fall, he learned quickly Theegalas still the same guy. Hunter took him to the putting green, and hed flick his wrist at every putt, and they all went in. Q.4What isSahith Theegalas Nationality? While Matthew Stafford was winning the Super Bowl on Sunday, Scottie Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title. There, he made a birdie on the par-5 to get to 4-under on his round. Sahith Theegala preapres for the 2023 The Genesis Invitational at Riviera CC with +6600 odds to win after he made the cut in his last event here, the 2022 The Genesis Invitational, and placed. He finished 3rd in his professional debut at the Lone Tree Classic on the Outlaw Tour. Hovland stepped up to the tee at the par-3 No. ", 10. 13-16, holing a 15-footer from the fringe on the stadium par-3 16th. Anyone can read what you share. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Hes just the nicest guy. He then took advantage of a few sponsors exemptions and made his PGA Tour debut at the Travelers Championship, where he missed the cut, which he also did the following week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and then again three weeks later at the 3M Open. 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. Chants of THEE-GAL-A! I say, Have fun. Why would I say Good luck? You already did your work on the range. And I knew if I kept putting the ball in the fairway, Im going to have scoring opportunities.. To put it in basketball parlance, he just kept shooting. All kinds of random stuff like that. We always love to meet each other.. With a front hole location, he had no chance of putting it, but it didnt matter. Hes super likable and doesnt give off any arrogant vibe. USA Today Adam Hadwin and Harry Higgs matched Koepka, also the 2015 winner, at 66. He had little fear blasting it through the fairway into the woods because he liked shaping it around trees anyways. Sahith went. Background of Sahith Theegala's Parents. Sahith Theegala (full name Sahith Reddy Theegala) is an American professional golfer. I found out that he crashed at the beginning of our practice round for our home tournament, and the craziest part was, where he crashed was in Calabasas, and thats where my apartment is. 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, though, never wavered. Sahith Theegala is an escape artist. Theegala grabbed the lead in Scottsdale with a second-round 64. Theegala was born in Orange, California, on December 4th 1997. This is a PGA TOUR event, the first time I see him with his card, and hes chipping at the putting green, and he shanks one 30 yards, dead shank into the houses on his first chip, Watkins recalled. He led the PGA Tour in birdies made for the 2012-22 season with a total of 433. The Players Championship will be contested next week without its biggest draw. He competed at three U.S. Even if his form wasnt textbook after all, he learned the game through trial-and-error at local public courses Theegala succeeded. He is of Indian heritage. This shot from the exciting prospect happened at the 18th hole at Tiburn Golf. 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. 9. 14. Sahith Theegala age is 23 years old. Instead, it was a drunken cheer of Lets Go Heeth.. lead, Theegala's 64 good for 1-shot lead in Mississippi, Arnold Palmer Invitational pres. His father repeatedly told him, Its OK, while his mother wiped tears from his eyes. The Official PGA TOUR Profile of Sahith Theegala. But he destroyed me, so he kind of got me back into chess, and that happened to be the year I injured my wrist too, so I wasnt able to play any sports, so I was sitting indoors all day just trying to get better at chess. In a 27-year teaching and coaching career, Watkins says Theegala is easily one of the most humble kids he has ever coached or taught. Hunter said the precocious little 7-year-old Theegala, who had just won the Junior World Golf Championships as a 6-year-old, came back frustrated after a recent tournament because there was a tree on a par-3 that he couldnt hit it over, so he needed Hunter to help him with the solution he came up with a solution hes still using today.