At last week’s WM Phoenix Open, young reporter Maverick Midthun stood out among the mostly experienced contingent in the media center.
The 15-year-old high school freshman represented “Today’s Junior Golfer,” an Arizona-based nonprofit organization with a two-fold mission: to support lower-income junior golfers with starting equipment, tournament scholarships and “Dream Days” to highlight their golf journey through inspiring stories and photos.
Midthun was at TPC Scottsdale thanks to a press pass from the PGA Tour and the Thunderbrids, giving him the opportunity to ask questions of some of the game’s biggest stars. Last Wednesday the line-up consisted of Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka and Sahith Theegala.
Typically, a player’s pre-tournament press conference focuses on course conditions and the player’s preparation for the upcoming days of competition. But Midthun provoked one of the most interesting responses of the day when he asked Theegala for tips he would give to a junior golfer who wants to one day play on the PGA Tour.
Theegala’s response suggested the use of an unconventional improvement tactic.
“I see guys in high school and college making it further than guys on Tour,” Theegala began. “The distance is a big thing. I think it’s easier said than done, but just ignore that part and find your own path.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids lose their game by backing off instead of improving their craft,” he continued. “What I did personally, and what I think has worked for a lot of my colleagues and a lot of my friends, is focus on the part of your game that I love the most. For me, that was chipping. I just chipped as much as I could. I’ve been in a lot of chipping competitions. It didn’t matter if I knew they were a good chipper or a bad chipper, I just wanted to beat them, and that’s how I got my best training.”
Theegala’s answer is illuminating in a number of respects. Firstly, it is a rejection of the current bomb-and-gouge philosophy that seems to be spreading like wildfire, especially among junior players. At a time when everyone seems to be chasing more distance – even at Tour level – the idea of not focusing on getting taller is interesting in itself.
The other thing that caught my interest was Theegala’s emphasis on focusing on the part of the game you love most. Today, in-depth analyzes of data and statistics are the driving force behind many players’ practice plans. Young players are often told to focus on identifying and improving their weaknesses in order to get better, but Theegala, in a sense, recommends the opposite, suggesting that players should instead lean into their favorite areas, which will in turn help improve the rest of their game.
“I had a lot of trouble with my driver early on,” Theegala said. “I knew I was struggling with the driver, but when I was doing chipping contests or chipping games or working on some crazy spinny chip, I forgot all the other stuff, all the other parts of the game. So I just wanted to feel like my chipping was better than anyone else’s. In a way, it freed up the rest of my game too.”
“I would say find a part of the game that you love, focus on that.”
Last year, Theegala placed 13th on the Tour in the 20-30 meter scramble, while he was 102nd in the driving distance. With a current world ranking of 92 and a Tour victory on his CV, Theegala is living proof that prowess off the tee isn’t everything.
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