At the start of the 2022 calendar year, I wrote about a few golfers that you should keep an eye on having a breakout season on the PGA Tour. One of those names was Sahith Theegala. One month later, he had the 54-hole lead in a star-studded field at the WM Phoenix Open.
Unfortunately, Theegala suffered an unlucky bounce on the 17th hole which caused him to miss out on the playoff by one stroke, but his presence on the PGA Tour was officially announced with the impressive performance.
His odds at WynnBET to win the tournament were 150/1, and if you ever see his odds at that disrespectful mark again, you shouldn't hesitate to place your bet.
The Sahith Theegala file
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) February 11, 2022
—Pronounced SAW-hith, not Suh-HEETH
—Playing on sponsor’s invite
—Swept individual awards in COVID-shortened sr yr at Pepperdine
—Still lives with parents in Chino, Calif.
—Has been driving up and down West Coast swing, said he put 2,000 miles on his car
Sahith Theegala Will Soon be a Household Name
In his final collegiate season at Pepperdine, Theegala pulled off the sweep of the player awards by winning the Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, and the Haskins award for player of the year. He's now quickly adjusted to life on the PGA Tour, securing two top 10 finishes in his first 11 starts, and only missing two cuts.
He also already rankings 52nd on the Tour in total strokes gained, and 44th in strokes gained: approaching the green.
It usually takes young golfers a season or two to get adjusted to the PGA Tour level, but Theegala has seemingly leapfrogged that developmental stage of his career. He's going to get his first win sooner rather than later, and the California native will be talked about among the top golfers in the world before you know it.
Whatever happens tomorrow, Sahith Theegala is a star in the making. Been saying for a while that he’ll enjoy a Sam Burns-like bump at some point in the not-too-distant future. Wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s top-20 in the world (or better) by this time next year.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) February 12, 2022