ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

March 7, 2024

Sahith Theegala

Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Quick Quotes

Q. What did you learn about yourself and your game when you're battling Bay Hill for more than four hours and you walk away with a 68?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah, this golf course is really hard. It's really hard. It felt like scorable today compared to what the last couple years have been. Just a brutal golf course. The beauty of it is, there's a lot of holes that you get out and birdie and have eagle chances, and as opposed to that there is probably nine holes that you're so, so happy with par. So just great to end up with a 68 today, very happy.

Q. Speaking of eagles, how sparkling was the short game today, especially at 12, and 15 as well?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah, I got, I'll say 12 was a little lucky, a little two bouncer, it was probably going to be 15 feet by. That's always a bonus.

Then the one on 15, kind of a much better lie, and got away with my second shot, had a much better lie and just kind of drifted in there. Always a bonus to see those go in. Definitely -- I didn't really make a whole lot, other than the chips, I didn't make any putts, but I guess those kind of count.

Q. How about the decision on 16, we overheard your conversation with your caddie Carl Smith about whether to lay up or go for it, you went for it and made birdie.

SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah, man, I think I put Carl through a lot of tough decisions. A lot of the time I'm such an aggressive player and just want to go for it. At the same time, I guess it's just a little bit of confidence building up for me. I thought that was the percentage play, and Carl's the man, he can talk to me at any time, so when he said he was good with it, I trusted it fully. It came out great, squirted a little right. We have a great relationship, and for us to talk about stuff like that is really cool because, growing up, I watched a lot of guys have awesome conversations with their caddie, and now it's pretty cool to be doing that with Carl.