2021 Sanderson Farms: Who’s Sahith Theegala? How’s He Contending?
By Tim Letcher
The name at the top of Thursday’s leaderboard at the Sanderson Farms Championship may be unfamiliar to some. But make no mistake, Sahith Theegala is deserving of being in the position he’s currently in.
For those who are unfamiliar with Theegala, he’s a 23-year-old from California who played collegiately at Pepperdine. In 2020, he won the Haskins Award, the Jack Nicklaus Award and the Ben Hogan Award as the best player in college golf. He reached No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
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Theegala earned his PGA Tour card with a stellar performance in the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs last season. Now, he’s taking advantage of his opportunity.
He has previously played in 14 PGA Tour events, including five last season. His best finish in the 2020-21 campaign was at the Safeway Open, where he finished 14th.
But on Thursday, in the first round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, Theegala tied the best round that he has ever shot on the PGA Tour.
Theegala wasted absolutely no time on Thursday. Starting on the back nine, he birdied the par-3 10th hole to start. Then he birdied the par-5 11th hole. Then the par-4 12th hole. He was 3-under par through just three holes.
After a par on the 13th hole, Theegala was back at it on the 14th hole. There, he made a birdie on the par-5 to get to 4-under on his round. He would also birdie the 18th hole on his way to shooting a 5-under par 31 on his first nine.
On his second nine, Theegala started with a par on the first hole. He then birdied the par-4 second hole and the par-5 third hole, getting to 7-under and into a share of the lead.
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From there, Theegala recorded five consecutive pars before a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole closed his round with an 8-under par 64. When he finished, Theegala was in the lead.
He may or may not be able to stay in contention all weekend. Nevertheless, Thursday was a memorable day for Theegala.