Sahith Theegala’s Parents Indian Heritage a Source of Inspiration

Getty Sahith Theegala pictured with his mother Karuna Theegala and father Murli Theegala.

Sahith Theegala’s parents, Karuna and Muralidhar (who goes by Murli), journey from India to the United States is one of the more inspiring stories on the PGA Tour. Sahith has been candid about his parents’ move to America from India.

“Both my parents came from India with nothing,” Sahith told PGATour.com’s Cameron Morfit for an August 15, 2023 feature titled, “From LA to Houston, Theegala finds two families through golf.”

Sahith’s dad Murli moved to Kansas to complete a Master’s program at Kansas State. The family eventually ended up in Los Angeles where Sahith was born. It was this move that prompted Murli’s love for golf, a passion he would pass on to Sahith.

“When I came to L.A., and one of my buddies at my first job, he was playing golf and he said, ‘Hey, you want to come over?’” Murli recalled. “I went one day, and I said, ‘This is a slick sport, you know?’ We made it a habit of going every Saturday morning, 5 o’clock.”

Sahith Theegala Is Helping Grow the Popularity of Golf in India

Sahith is joined on the PGA Tour by fellow Indian American Akshay Bhatia. The golfer believes Sahith’s rise in the pro ranks is playing a role in growing the game’s popularity globally.

“I think it’s awesome being able to grow the game not only in the States but also in India,” Akshay noted to The Economic Times in an April 10, 2024 story titled, “The Masters 2024: Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia take India to Augusta National.” “I think it’s special to us. What we can do for golf there is awesome, and the development we can accomplish for people there is really cool.”

Sahith Theegala’s Girlfriend Juju Chan Also Attended Pepperdine University

After learning to share his father’s passion for golf, Sahith went on to have a standout collegiate career at nearby Pepperdine University. It is here where Sahith would meet his now girlfriend Julianna “Juju” Chan.

Like Sahith, Juju was also a student-athlete at Pepperdine setting records on the swim team. Juju caddied for Sahith at the 2024 Masters Par 3 tournament.

“Masters par 3 ✅ Just insanely cool to be part of such a fun tradition,” Sahith said in an April 10 Instagram post. “@jujurchan caddie skills 9.4/10. Ready to go for year 2 at Augusta 💚”

Sahith Theegala’s Parents Took the Family on Regular Trips to India

Sahith has been one of the rising players on the PGA Tour. The golfer’s story is one of those featured on the hit Netflix docu-series “Full Swing.”

Heading into the final round of the 2024 PGA Championship, the golfer is in contention to win his first ever major. Growing up, Sahith and his family took regular trips to India. Last year, Sahith reflected on how his father has helped shape his career.

“My dad just has this awesome trait where he makes everyone feel like they’re his best friend and he just makes people feel good without being fake,” Sahith told PGATour.com. “He’ll tell it to you straight when you need to. It’s not about the B.S., but he’s just such a positive guy.”