PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 18, 2024

Sahith Theegala

Valhalla Golf Club

Quick Quotes

SAHITH THEEGALA: No expectations, try to have fun. You never know how many chances you're going to get.

Q. How do you feel?

SAHITH THEEGALA: I feel pretty good. I told my caddie walking up 17, my body is starting to ache. I feel better for sure than the last couple days. Hopefully feel better tomorrow but not all the way better -- all things considered my body feels good.

Q. Talk about this round. Impressive run on the back nine. What were you able to do?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Just the par putt I made on 7 was huge. I thought I was going to be able to flip the script with a birdie or eagle there and got a 10-footer for par. That was a huge putt. I knew that was an important putt because there was a bunch of birdie holes coming up and really nice to get a lucky roll on 9. Got that break. Just kind of kept running with it.

I hit the ball really nicely on the back nine. I don't think I got everything out of my ball-striking but I hit it really nice and just nice to see that one pitch go in on 15, too. That's a bonus.

Q. For tomorrow --

SAHITH THEEGALA: For sure, I think I'm making great strides in confidence. Just the results are showing. They are validated all the work that me and my team are putting in. Again I have no expectations for tomorrow and thankful for the opportunity to be out late on Sunday at a major in contention. I know my game is good enough to compete. It's kind of what I'm going to base it off of tomorrow and there's a bunch of guys that are just absolute world-beaters and major championships ahead of me and behind me. So I'm going to have to play my butt off but I'm just really excited for the challenge tomorrow.

Q. What does it mean to you to have a chance to go into Sunday?

SAHITH THEEGALA: It means everything. This is why we play is to get in contention late on Sunday. I haven't been in this spot before. My other nice spot in a major was a mega back door. Didn't really get in the top 5, two holes left in the tournament.

It's going to be a different feel tomorrow. I felt a lot of those feelings today and was able to overcome the nerves and stick to my process. I've been playing so well so just want to keep it rolling, and I'm just going to have a lot of fun tomorrow. I'll be nervous and it's going to be great to embrace those nerves because it's a feeling you don't get often.

Q. You had something going on back nine after a rough front nine.

SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah, usually when I get off to a rough start, it's tee shot or ball-striking related and didn't feel that way for me on the front nine. I hit every fairway with my driver. I got sloppy on a short wedge shot and got a little bit gusted on 4. Spun up on me a little bit. Hozeled my tee shot on 6 and didn't feel like I did a whole lot wrong. Bad bunker shots I suppose. I was driving it well, so if you put yourself in good spots, you can give yourself a chance.