Sahith Theegala’s Unconventional Advice for New Players

In the past week WC Phoenix Openyoung reporter Maverick Midthun stood out among the mostly veteran contingent in the media center.

The 15-year-old high school senior represented Today’s Junior Golfer, an Arizona nonprofit organization that has a two-fold mission: to support lower-income young golfers with starter equipment, tournament scholarships and “Dream Days” to highlight their golf journey through inspirational stories and photos.

Midthun was in place at TPC Scottsdale thanks to a press pass provided by the PGA Tour and Thunderbrids, giving him an opportunity to ask questions of some of the game’s biggest stars. On Wednesday of last week, the lineup included Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka and Sahith Theegala.

Most of the time, a player’s pre-tournament press conference focuses on the condition of the course and preparing the players for the days ahead. But Midthun elicited one of the most interesting answers of the day when he asked Theegala for advice he would give a young golfer who aspires to play on the PGA Tour one day.

Theegala’s response suggested using an unconventional upgrade tactic.

“I’m seeing guys who are in high school and college hitting it more than guys in the tournament,” Theegala began. “The distance thing is a big thing. I think something that is — it’s easier said than done, but just ignore that part and find your way.

“I’ve seen a lot of kids lose their game trying to go the distance instead of mastering their craft,” he continued. “What I did personally and what I think has worked for a lot of my peers and a lot of my friends is to focus on the part of your game that I like the most. For me it was chipping. I just chipped as much as I could. I did a ton of chip contests. It didn’t matter if I knew they were a good bad player, I just wanted to beat them the best way.”

Theegala’s answer is enlightening in several ways. Mostly, it’s a rejection of the current bomb-and-scratch philosophy that seems to be spreading like wildfire, especially among younger players. At a time when everyone seems to be chasing more distance – even at the Tour level – the idea of ​​not focusing on extension is interesting in itself.

The other point that caught my interest was Theegala’s emphasis on focusing on the part of the game that you enjoy the most. These days, deep dives into data and statistics are driving many players’ practical plans. New players are often told to focus on identifying and improving their weaknesses in order to improve, but Theegala is recommending the opposite, in a sense, suggesting that players should lean into their favorite areas instead, which will help improve the rest of their game.

“I struggled a lot early with my driver,” Theegala said. “I knew I was struggling with the driver, but when I was doing chip contests or chip games or working on a crazy chip, I forgot about all the other stuff, all the other parts of the game. So I just wanted to feel like my chip was better than somebody else’s chip. In a way, it freed up the rest of my game as well.

“I would say find a part of the game that you like, focus on it.”

Last year, Theegala was 13th on Tour in the 20-30 meter race, while he was 102nd in the driving distance. With a current world ranking of 92 and a Tour win on his resume, Theegala is living proof that off-court prowess isn’t everything.