Sahith Theegala making name for himself at WM Phoenix Open

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – One of the first questions to Sahith Theegala, the halfway leader of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, was how to pronounce his name. Answer: Take it easy on the “I” in his first name. It’s hith, as in pith.

RELATED: Leaderboard | The WM Phoenix Open paradigm shift

Otherwise, it’s just how it looks: SAH-hith Thee-GAH-luh

Here’s another thing about Theegala, the PGA TOUR rookie who reeled off eight birdies and shot 64 to reach 12 under par and the top of the leaderboard: He’s guileless.

At the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago, when Theegala was playing in a group with the former world No. 1 Jason Day in the early rounds, Day was introduced first. This was the point where most players would be studying their golf ball or cleaning their spikes with a tee. Instead, Theegala, a fan himself, clapped for Day, a fleeting moment that spoke volumes.

It was such a small thing, a longtime TOUR watcher said, but such pure class.

“That’s a good word for him, class,” said Sahan Theegala, the golfer’s little brother and a freshman at Seton Hall in New Jersey. As Sahith birdied four of his first five holes Friday, Sahan was in class and stealthily following the action on PGATOUR.com.

“I was losing my mind in school,” Sahan said with a laugh.

Sahith could easily have a big head. He has been tabbed as an up-and-comer for a while and was an All-American at Pepperdine, where he became just the fifth player to sweep the major awards as the top collegiate golfer in 2020. He played the Korn Ferry Tour last season and did well enough to earn his TOUR card. He hits it a mile – he’s cited his straight driving here – and has an otherworldly short game that other players stop to watch.

But hubris just isn’t him.

“I didn’t go to many tournaments when I was young,” Sahan said, “but my brother, when he was way ahead of the field like in the Junior World, or it was closer, he always respected the other players. He’s always looking for a learning experience.”

Sahith Theegala fun facts: He’s a big fan of SpongeBob SquarePants. He has scoliosis but says the curvature is such that it hasn’t been an issue with his golf, praising his physical therapist and his chiropractor. Did he write a letter to get this sponsor’s exemption into the WM Phoenix Open? No, Theegala said, citing the behind-the-scenes work of his agent, Lynn Roach.

This is a theme with Theegala: spreading the praise. On that score he often cites his father, Muralidhar Theegala, who moved from India to the United States for grad school in the 80s, and was more of a tennis player than a golfer. Still, he encouraged Sahith at every turn and even hung a two-part wooden sign in the family’s garage. It says: THE WORLD’S BEST GOLFER LIVES HERE. And: BETTER IN THE WOODS THAN A TIGER.

Sahan, also not a golfer, keeps a picture of that sign on his phone.

“I used to joke with Sahith,” he said. “I said, ‘Eventually, you’ll be Tiger.”

Sahith still lives at home, for his trajectory has been too steep, the ride too dizzying, for real estate. “I was thinking about moving out,” he said, “but I graduated during COVID, and it just didn't really make sense for me. And I had all my team with me in California. So, I'm definitely going to stay at least – I'm going to have a place in California.”

In the next breath he mentioned the cost of having a place in California, for he has been open about not coming from money. Going forward? You’d have to say the situation is fluid, but it’s looking, ahem, promising. Theegala is easily in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee this week. He took only 25 putts Friday. He’s taken to the TOUR like a warm bath.

Now he will be paired with four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, another former world No. 1, for the third round on Saturday. Don’t be surprised if Theegala claps for him even as he gathers himself to try to become the first sponsor’s exemption to win on TOUR since Martin Laird at the 2020 Shriners Children’s Open.

Has he been here before? Well, no, but he was in contention at the Farmers until weekend rounds of 73-71 dropped him into a T25 finish. He knows how to win; it hasn’t been long since college.

“I haven't had time to let it set in,” Theegala said, “and hopefully I don't think too much about it because obviously what I've been doing has been working the first couple days.”

Like other tournaments on the West Coast, he has been followed shot for shot by his parents, cousin, cousin’s parents, friends, uncles, and even his caddie’s girlfriend’s family. Who is having more fun, him or them?

“Oh, for sure my family,” Theegala said. “They're such a great bunch, they're so positive and the fact that they drove out here just to support me and walk six hours and probably dehydrated out there and feet hurting and still cheering me on, it's really cool to know that they're there.”

His game is there, too, and if it holds steady for two more good rounds, watch out. The world’s best golfer lives here.