Sahith Theegala, Rose Zhang, and their trainer all grew up in Southern California. It turns out that the trainer deserves most of credit for their successful team-up at the Grant Thornton Invitational this week in Naples, Florida.
Theegala played college golf at Pepperdine and has been following Zhang’s progress during her Stanford career. When the Grant Thornton Invitational announced that it would be a mixed team event this year he thought, “I have to find a means to bring her to play with me.”
Their mutual trainer sent a message between them in early this year where he announced that they would team up for the event.
Theegala remembered, “Rose said, ‘Well I’ve got turn pro first’.” I casually mentioned it. Not really, but almost jokingly. “She just went pro and killed it straight away. I was like ‘Am I still good enough to be your partner’?”
He is. Theegala, 26, won the event at Tiburon Golf Club with Tom Hoge last year when there were only two mixed-team pairings. Zhang, who turned professional this summer, is already proving himself to be a formidable force and a likely contender for this event. The Grant Thornton Invitational marks the first time that the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and mixed teams have been co-sanctioned since John Daly won the JCPenney classic in 1999.
Zhang stated that this week was special not just for him but also everyone else involved in the event. “I don’t play with PGA Tour Players often. So being able play with Sahith was a real treat. You always admire these players from afar, their game, their precision, their creativity, their distances they can hit the ball, etc. It’s cool to be inside the fences and see this, never mind teaming up. It’s going be a great ride.
Lexi Thompson, 28 years old, who played in previous QBE Shootouts and competed in the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open, Las Vegas, in October against men, echoed this sentiment.
She said, “I believe that more team events in golf, particularly mixed male and female, will be very popular with fans.”
Theegala believes that women’s golf has a bright future, and an event such as the Grant Thornton Invitational can show off their talent.
He said, “I didn’t know how far Lexi could hit it or how great Nelly’s iron play is. “They are the best players on the planet.” In many areas, they are on par with the Tour guys if not even better.
Rickie, who is 34, will be playing with Thompson. Originally, he had been supposed to play alongside Jessica Korda. However, she backed out due to a good reason: she was expecting her first baby.
Fowler smiled and said, “I tried talking her into it as if you could still do it. But yeah, she eventually bailed.” It was an easy decision to make from there.
Fowler & Thompson could not pinpoint their first meeting but thought it was around 2010 at a Cobra – Puma shoot. They both endorse the clothing and equipment maker.
Fowler stated that “team events are always fun because you can lean on one another, but there is also added pressure because you have to perform when it comes to alternate shot, the format used in Sunday’s final rounds.” “Yeah. We have a strong field on both the men’s side and the women’s. Nobody has come here to just enjoy the December offseason. “There’s a great deal of pride at stake.”
These teams’ bond may have started with text messages and photo shoots but it is now stronger than blood.
Fowler told Thompson, “I won’t be mad if you hit it into the weeds.” “It’s fine.”
