FCG Weekly with Steph and Mel – Meet Muralidhar Theegala

On our second episode of FCG Weekly with Steph and Mel, we are going to be interviewing Muralidhar Theegala, the father of PGA Tour Player Sahith Theegala. He will be discussing with us what his journey as a golf parent has been like through Sahith’s younger years all the way through college and through supporting Sahith’s professional golf career. He will give us insight as to what it means to being a successful junior golfer and what we can all do to support junior golfers on their journey to success.

Hey everyone, welcome back to FCG Weekly. I’m Stephanie and I’m Melanie and we’re super excited about today’s episode. It’s a very special one and one that hits close to home for a lot of our listeners. But before we jump in, we want to give a big shout out to some of our FCG champions from this past week. First up, congratulations to Ian NG from China, our collegiate men’s champion at the FCG summer series at Dos Oso’s Golf Course in Escandido. He shot a three under par over three days. And huge congratulations to Juni Jia from China who took home the women’s collegiate title with a three-day finish of six over par. We also want to congratulate our players from the FCG amateur championship at S Piper Golf Course. First up is Shams Jawan Gear Arshad from Santa Barbara who took home the men’s division title with an incredible 13 underpar finish which is so impressive. Um and in the women’s division, Olivia Johnson from Canada who finished 10 overpar for the event. And in our boys junior division, Theodore Vignia, also from Santa Barbara, who shot an amazing score of nine under par over three days to take the win. So, huge congratulations to all of you guys. Great playing out there. You all crushed it. Awesome job, everyone. Today, we’re joined by someone who’s had a front row seat to one of the most inspiring journeys in golf. Muralita Figiala, the father of PGA Tour player and FCG alum, Sah Figala. We’ll be talking about Sahit’s path from junior golf all the way up to the PGA tour, but even more so, we will be hearing um about what it’s like to be a parent walking alongside um their child throughout this journey and just kind of seeing everything. H it’s a perspective that we don’t often get to hear in depth and we think it’ll resonate with junior golfers, families, and supporters alike. So, let’s get into it. So, hi Mr. Tigala. Thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate you being here. Ah, thank you very much. You know, I was uh when Chris approached me a week a week back and I said, “Oh, yeah. I love to do that.” You know, I mean, there’s nothing to hide for me. I like to share all the information, whatever. I learned it and that’s way I guess that’s way I enjoy the sport, you know, just sharing with fans and whoever wants any information, you know. I just talking I learned a lot. So, I like to share the same information to others. We’re truly honored um just to have you here cuz you’ve seen obviously the highs and lows of the sport and you have that like unique perspective from seeing your kid go from like junior golf all the way to professional golf and I think that’s just so amazing. So, we’re just so excited to hear you and your story and everything you have to share. Thank you. Thank you. Um so, let’s start at the beginning. before Sahed became Sah, were you kind of into golf before he started playing or did you get pulled into the world of golf because of him? Actually, you know, when I was working uh I guess in ’90s uh before Scythe was born, I was playing with my buddies on Saturday, they just dragged me into it and I loved the sport. I was never good at it. Just played on my own. Uh just a 9-hole, you know, golf course on a Saturday morning. So I had that little inclination you know what golf is all about but then you know when sides started playing uh I just learned more about golf but I stopped playing actually in fact then because I was so intrigued with what he was doing so I just stopped playing actually I recently started two years back since I retired so yeah I’m enjoying the golf playing again but I was yeah I did I did uh you know uh play golf a little bit before cycle oh okay that’s sweet I was actually in fact a good tennis player. So you know uh I used to play a lot of tennis. So I felt like you know knowing the sport for myself I think you know when I saw my side you know had all this you know talent I mean it’s easy to recognize when you are yourself I guess played some sports you haven’t played sports it’s hard to recognize what the talent is all about. So I was just fortunate that I love sports all kinds of sports and I was a good tennis player. So recognizing you know early talent was uh you know something you know I’m proud of. Yeah. That’s cool. That is cool. Um so how has your connection to golf sort of changed watching Sahit’s journey kind of unfold? Is it different? Like what what would you have to say about that? I you know I I don’t think it’s changed a lot because I always you know had so much fun you know when even when I was playing golf and interacting with you know other parents other kids you know I would take time to you know chat with the kids and you know the other parents so that part hasn’t changed because even in the tour big tour I always chat outside the ropes with fans I interact with media and everybody so that part of you know having fun as just a you know as a crazy sports fan hasn’t changed much but you But you know, yes, I see, you know, the life behind a professional golfer is a lot harder than, you know, what people know outside. So that part is something new to me and I’m still learning. Well, yeah. No, I mean, you see everything. You see it from like because it’s your child, you know, he’s like playing it, so you see it from a completely different perspective than everyone else. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And then obviously you know you know when I was you know when science was little I was the only one pretty much you know you know me and him but now his team has grown big so he has his you know team you know this trainer you know coach so it’s nice it’s nice that you know it’s all part of the team so it’s nice to see the whole team working you know at least at the majors all the team is there so I get to you know interact with them and see how they’re working together as a team. Yeah. Yeah. No, and I feel like it’s very common for like junior golfers to kind of start just like how you started with Sah like with Sah all the time. So I feel like it’s very common for a lot of us to kind of play golf with our dads. I mean I started with my dad and Stephanie started with our dad. So it’s very to see you know saw his dad and then having like a big team. So yeah. Oh yeah. Like actually my story is pretty similar to yours. Like my dad initially started playing golf and then once I started and he realized like I was okay, you know, like kind of decent. He was like, “All right, I’m going to put all my attention towards Stephanie and kind of see where that takes me.” So that’s really sweet of me that it’s all golf journeys are pretty similar. So I love that. You know, Stephanie, Stephanie, that’s very true because, you know, a lot of people, you know, like say, “Hey, you didn’t play with your son yet?” And I said, you know, I was never good first of all and then I didn’t want to be distracted because, you know, sometimes in sports you need that competition spirit. So let’s say if I ever played with him and he was beating me all the time, maybe you would say that’s good enough for him, you know. So I never wanted to be you know benchmark for him. So I always kept it aside. So I never played with him because a lot of people on the tour they say or you know like generally you meet people say oh you never played with your son wasn’t that fun. You you’d miss out. I said it’s not the missing out part. It’s just that he was so good at it. I wanted to make sure that my I was not the benchmark for him. He had to have, you know, better benchmark. So, I never wanted to play with him, but just always be around him encouraging him for sure. Yeah. That’s so sweet. Definitely similar to my dad and our story. So, I love So cute. Um, so kind of let’s go back to where it all started. Uh, how did Sahed first discover golf? You kind of touched on that a little bit. Um, but was there a spec specific moment where you realized he might actually really love golf? Uh, you know, I I didn’t know exactly where I should point where he loved golf. Maybe around 3 years old. But you know, one thing is Scythe was born in 97, you know, and you know, Kobe signed with Lakers and then Tiger announced to the world that hey hello world. So my TV was always on. I know I was just intrigued with you know I loved you know watching Lakers for a long time so my TV was always on and then s like maybe I would say you know starting one year he would sit next to me and he would just like I watch so much sports and TV he would like watch it watch it and then he became like so fond of you know Kobe Bryant he loved I don’t know what he saw in him but then I remember like when he was two years old you know when Lakers would lose a game and he would start crying and I would say no no don’t worry we got another game tomorrow he’s going to come back tomorrow. So he was almost I don’t know what it is like as two year old he was so emotionally attached to sports. Yeah. So that’s way he grew like that and then eventually at then then there was obviously more of golf I was watching because you know Tiger you know started winning and then my TV was mostly on so I think around two and a half three years old Sy I guess you know watched a lot of golf with me even masters and all that stuff. So I guess at two or three I don’t remember somebody gave me a plastic set. He was chipping at home all day long and that’s when I said hey maybe you know he likes to play golf. So that’s where it started. So I would say you know basically me watching a lot of you know golf on TV probably attracted him more than you know but he had but but always I tell you like since he was nine or one one year old he had that you know that athletic ability where I don’t see with kids he could throw a ball and he was very strong upper body strong and he was able to throw a basketball so I did see that he had definitely some you know that I coordination and lot of strength to go along with it Because just having coordination is not good enough because when you play golf you need to hit the ball because I see you know I have my cousins who are like their kids are seven year olds so they just don’t have enough strength but fortunately science was one of those big boys and he had the strength also so a combination of that also helped him you know because it’s hard you know just because somebody has a skill you can’t push him but he had the strength too so it just worked out great you know I always said he was probably meant to happen you know maybe he was born to know this. Born to be a golfer. Yeah, born to be a golfer. Yep. So cool. Oh. Um, so I guess another question that we have for you is obviously you guys went through the whole junior golf journey and just what do you remember about those days like the first tournaments that Sawith played in, the little routines that he would have, the wins, kind of the learning curves. Um, but yeah, we want to hear a little bit more about that. Yeah. Uh you know Melan as I said uh you know I was the only one and basically he learned just like watching on TV and then when he was 3 years old I took him to driving range. The first time he went there he fell in love with it and uh you know and the only thing I didn’t notice was he loved putting and chipping. For some reason it just fascinated him more than hitting the balls. So every day we would go I would give him like 20 balls in a small bucket and he would be like you know he’ll be hitting one ball and he’ll be looking at putting and chipping. He never wanted to focus on the driving range. You know, you’ll always turn around and see what people are doing near putting and chipping. So that fascinated him. So I think uh you know you know so end of the you know like after the 20 balls he hits it he would go and putting and chipping. He would practice till late in the night. So I think the putting and chipping was very you know amazing. So that inspired me. I was watching some drive, chip and putt on go channel and I said, “Oh my god, this is perfect for little kids, you know, because then you get your chipping and putting and then driving.” So I was always looking out for tournaments and I would reach out to Golf Channel. They said, “No, he has to be seven years old.” And then fortunately, you know, I was keep on looking for tournaments for young juniors and Southern California Junior had had a tour but they said minimum was seven or eight. So I couldn’t put him in tournaments. Then this happened in you know 2004 the junior world cal junior world happened and I was able to sign up and uh so at six years old he played the junior world and you know it’s funny when we went to the tournament I had all these kids from all over the world Japan China you know Australia England they’re all dressed up neatly you know tucked in shirt and you know we didn’t even have the tickets of golf so we was a collar no collar he had like tennis shoes that’s way he was playing it So, so when I looked at all these kids, oh my god, and some of the kids, you know, had their media come down and I said, “Oh my god, what am I getting into?” I see all these beautiful springs and the driving rate and here is side just, you know, you know, like jolly jolly kid just hitting balls, you know. So, so it scared me. But then end of the tournament, you know, he comes and wins it. It’s it’s amazing, you I mean, and then I realized, oh my god, you know, all this pretty swings, all this, you know, all these things doesn’t matter. This kid is, you know, he knows how to play golf. Yeah. He’s got what it takes. Yeah. It’s amazing to see that little journey when you are six years old winning the junior world. I think that that is my inspiration. After that, you know, I think, you know, I said, you know, this kid loves it. So, and he loved the competition. I I I don’t know whether he meant when he to beat other people, but he loved competition in a sense like he wanted to beat the golf course. I could tell I wanted to be No, but that’s an important mindset because I feel like a lot of times people go in trying to beat the field when it’s like you’re you’re playing against the course, you know, and that’s the only that really matters is because everyone’s going against it. So, no, that’s so interesting. But that’s so cute. Oh my gosh. I love that. Um, so you kind of talked about how Sahith loved like putting and chipping and kind of seemed like he would do his own thing a lot of the time. Um, would you say you were a hands-on golf parent? Like were you involved in coaching and scheduling like trying to keep him on a specific schedule like short game this day, driving range this day, or did you try to stay more behind the scenes, let him kind of do his own thing? Yeah, I think you know since I noticed that he was very good in chipping and patting, I would let him do the whole thing. I was never good at golf. So I just kind of like go take him down and watch him. The only thing is I would have him, you know, help him with like a lot of creative shots. Like I put the throw the balls, you know, next to the bunker. I wanted him to hit over the bunker and from different angles. So I would like, you know, get involved like, you know, personally to like throw the balls around different areas. So I kind of like inspired him and then I did this thing called a spiral thing on the putting like rather than you know traditional coaches want you to putt from four feet like 50 times. So I didn’t like that idea. I said you know in a golf you’re never going to have four footers on all 18 holes. You’re going to have different lengths. So I would put one at four feet one at 5t in a little spiral fashion six feet 7 feet 8t 9 ft and then I would tell him go just par everything. So he like little bit of creativeness. So somehow I don’t know where I got that creativeness. I just said that that makes him like exciting you know rather than you know after a while 4-footers gets boring so I tried to make it very creative and you know I would go the reverse go 9 8 7 6 54 so I mean I think that’s what he loved it I think he loved the little fun things you know I try to create uh on the putting and chipping I think he liked it driving was not much I couldn’t help him because he was already swinging so hard all I just swing hard and then you know fortunately you know we had his coach Rick Hunter came like when he was seven or eight years old and he took you know he took a lot of interest in sight and then he worked on the and the the driving part of it but chipping and putting he always feel like he always he was heavy handsy was just like he had so good with his hands so so all I I just loved it but I just try to make it very interesting for him little things like that you know rather than just being just go and chip chip chip or no just very creative like you know throw the balls different area you know all that stuff Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I feel like golf practice, especially on your own, can get so repetitive and so mundane and stuff. So, I’m super happy that you made it fun and made it interesting and I feel like that also kind of helped his golf journey keep going and going because you were making it fun and creative. Abs. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Obviously, you’ve been through this, you and Sah, and you know like a lot of stuff about what it takes to sort of help a junior golfer. Um and we know that supporting a junior golfer it takes a lot on both the parent and the golfer. It takes a lot mentally, emotionally, physically. So um what was the most surprising part for you during those journey or during those years? You know I you know I you know a lot of people ask me that question whether you know it was a lot of uh you know I guess this they always tell me you sacrifice a lot did you like you know but then I felt like I was just enjoying the process for some reason it never crossed my mind that you know I was doing you know just forcing him but I was just enjoying the journey. So I would say nothing stressed me really. The only thing is I I wanted one thing I did tell him when he was very early seven or eight that you know uh you know since you know I’m the teacher like for him you know so he goes to school he goes studies and every month they have a test so I always say that you know I’m going to give you feedback. So when I put him in tournaments, we always had a you know clear communication saying that you know what I’m going to talk while going home you know what all things you did what all things you could have done better and then when we go home you and me are buddies like father and son no more golf so I would make a chance to talk and obviously kids you know at that age you know if they make they play good round you know they’re okay listening it but they play a bad round they’re not willing to listen but I made it clear I made clear to side that you’re going to listen to me it doesn’t matter I’m just going to blah blah blah blah talk about it. So I mean so I would talk about it and you know obviously I’m sure you didn’t like it sen while but I’m sure going back if he looks at it I’m sure he likes that positive thing because it’s fresh in your mind what mistakes you made mentally or execution mistake we would talk about it. So that part I really got involved so I think we made a clear communication that we’re going to talk after every round of golf every tournament and then after that we just let it go. So I think having that thing little bit me involved that way definitely I think you know uh I wanted to make sure that I’m like a teacher for him at that point you know rather rather than a father just a teacher just giving the feedback when he did so we kind of like separated the lines between a father and a teacher you know just when you’re returning back home. Yeah. No, it’s just so good to have that sort of balance where you’re like supporting him, but you’re also just like kind of letting him figure it out and kind of do that because I feel like a lot of times it’s it’s just different when parents or coaches are just like overstepping. Sometimes it impacts the way that players see like the game. So, it’s really nice that you were able to do that and let him Yeah. The big thing Melanie is it’s so funny like Sc’s such an introvert kid. He doesn’t speak a lot, but the few times he spoke, oh my god, it was like amazing. There’s one time like in a tournament the fairway was like 60 yard wide and it was like he was trying to you know flare light the said and then he said what the heck was going on. He said dad I’m trying to you know fall into the middle of the fairway. I don’t know why the ball was going left or not. So it’s not like he was intentionally like you know trying to go left or right. He was just trying to go middle. He just didn’t execute it. So he said dad you know I’m trying to hit there but I just I don’t know today ball didn’t go the way I was looking at it. So a few things he he said to me made lot of sense. And then I realized okay you know what you know he’s not trying to botch the game he’s trying to play hard you know I realized really early in life you think that you know kids sometime maybe you know they don’t like it they don’t want to go but he loved the game he loved the competition so I could tell that after the little you know what he got a feedback from him I know that he’s trying hard so that’s the thing we parents have to realize that these kids are trying hard you know they’ll make mistakes so we just you know sometimes frustrating to see oh why I’m making that mistake But they’re trying hard. We just have to remember that they’re trying trying hard. As long as they’re having fun. So you just have to make sure that you’re not, you know, you’re pushing them hard that, you know, they love the game and, you know, they’re trying hard. So that’s all you can expect. They try hard, that’s good enough for Yeah. So, Sahiv uh starred at Pepperdine University, winning college golf’s top awards in 2020, earning all three earning three all-American honors and capturing nine tournament titles, making him one of the school’s all-time greats. Um, what was it like watching him develop during this time, not only as an athlete, but as a young man? Uh so actually before he went to college you know I would say probably Sai was the only one I would say in the entire world probably he’s played over 600 junior golf tournament I don’t think any of the kids have played that many tournament so I think when Pepperdine recruited him and I felt good that this kid knows he’s seen enough he’s played a different kind of golf course he’s playing with different competition so the Peppa Dine really you know saw that in him more than his swing you know they didn’t like the way he swung because they don’t know for sure it was repeatable but the way he competed the way you know he knew how to put up a low score they took a gamble on him and then obviously when he went to college you know I was excited I was you know supporting him all the way and uh you know I would say probably as a rookie he did pretty good and second year he started playing really well that consistent level I think with all the workouts and little bit discipline from the college it worked out great and then the third year he was really trying to you know step up his game and Then this injury occurred with his wrist. He broke his wrist. He had to sit down for 9 months. So and that nine months was scary for me. I said like man this kid has invested. And it was only me emotionally you know I was not telling the world but it was just emotionally suffering inside me. I said this kid has invested so much in golf. He loves this game. What’s going to happen this nine months? Will it will he still have the skill level to compete or will he you know will he love the game? But whatever it is, I mean this kid is I think I feel like he loves the game, you know. I mean he loves the game. I that’s a very understatement that he waited patiently and mind when he came back he was so hungry and he took upon himself to you know work hard diligently to get up to that and then his senior was amazing amazing. So I think that’s that’s just a proud moment because you know especially you know kids at that age you know when you big injury like that happens you don’t know which way are they really liking it they might say you know what this is not for me you know maybe I got a great education in pepper dynamite I got distracted but it’s all him it was just his love for the game he just stayed patient with him so that journey of you know passing that stage and coming to senior year finishing off with the top awards I would say I’m really proud of him it’s all him I don’t think even it’s not the coaches It’s just him I think loving the game I think just made through that that that leap uh you know getting to the senior year and finishing up his dog college year that is yeah that is definitely proud of I’m really proud of that very you know because if I were in the same shoes maybe I would have probably given up you know so yeah um but then obviously we know that there came that transition from his stellar reputation at Pepperdine to obviously becoming a PGA a uh player uh which is a huge leap with lots of different levels of stress, pressure, and just different new challenges to face. So, how did you sort of help them navigate that change and transition from going from like amateur status to professional um or like that collegate to professional level? Uh you know, Melanie, I was there I was there full-time that time. I think uh he wanted to go for an extra year because after the first year because the it year and you know the golf kind of shut down most of the tours and they were whatever whenever it started up there were few exemptions and I was requesting a lot of you know this tournament actress to give exemptions for site and they said that since you know tour shut down for a while there was a lot of European people wanted to play so there were not many opportunities so that I just told them hey you know you already achieved number one you’re going to go back to school it’s very hard for you to motivate yourself again to compete at the college level. Why don’t you turn pro and there was many tours happening in you know in California and Arizona. So I said just play with those professionals just get it you know the next level of competition you know just playing with professionals who are trying to make for a living. So I think that transition I was really in involved with it and he loved it and you know from the get-go he started playing really well and the few exemptions he got uh you know uh he he he got the non-member you know the PGA tour points and then uh uh and then the he got into the confer finals and I think the biggest call I would say probably I was personally involved is there were three confer finals so you had to be in the top 25 to get your PJ tour card. The first one you missed the cut and he was with his buddy of him was carrying and then kind of like emotionally his buddy inside they were like riding his wave so they were not really focused. So he missed the cut. So immediately end of the tournament I like I was it was in Utah. I was trying to fly back. I say can you please do me for I don’t want your friend to carry for him. I I want I want to get somebody special for you. And whom whom you recruited? That was K Smith. He recruited him at Pepperdine. So fortunately KL Smith was uh you know his he was carrying for Andrew Patnham. Andrew had missed the first FedEx playoff. So he was free. So when I called Car call said Murley since you asked I’m exhausted for the year but I’m just going to carry for side the next two tournament and I would say bringing Carl Smith for those two events I came in sixth and fourth and and obviously made in top 25 got the PJ tour. I think I would say that is the biggest decision I personally I would say probably helped him because end of the when he got the got the PJ tour card s turned around and said that that was a good call. So because he because initially he said that what would call know because recruited me when I was in high school what I get I I just told him please just just for this two tournaments because these are so critical otherwise you’ll have to go back to Q school I already paid the money I said just for this two please listen it was so funny when he got the PJ card you know my god size says that you made a good call so so I feel like that one year of just being there involved what he was doing how to get to the next level. Me personally getting involved I think helped him that right the journey otherwise he could have been you know gone with his friends got distracted you know because the tour was not giving a lot of exemptions so we don’t know how whole thing would have gone but I think me personally that one year when he turned pro I think I was like with him all the time just just talking nicely and I said you know hey you know what what’s your line how do we get to the next level you know you know I I told him that you are number one in the country it doesn’t mean that PGA tour is there for everybody There are like seven or eight tours all over the world like Asia tour, Indian tour, European tour, Australian. I said I’m willing to you know put a sbatical leave on my job and then I said I’ll travel with you if you have to go to Asia to to because I know you love you love your game and your game is good enough for any tour in the world. Obviously PJ tour was the highest if you don’t get it. I always say that you it’s like a big job you know you don’t get to the big company there are other companies. So I kind of give the perspective because a lot of kids think that oh if it’s not PJ tour why do I do that? I got a great education. Let me go look for a job. So that I didn’t want him to get distracted. So I personally that one year I would say was very very involved what he was doing. So I think that journey of one year I think probably made him you know once he got his tour card then then then the then he loved it and you know obviously you know and the rest is history. Yeah. Well no that’s amazing. And like obviously you knew him more than like his friend or whatever because you knew what was best for him. But that’s Yeah. That’s amazing. Yeah, you know, it’s, you know, like Melanie as I said, sometimes it’s a little tiny things. You know, if I didn’t make the call on the caddy, we don’t I’m not saying you wouldn’t have made it, but then you’ll have to go through the whole Q school journey. We don’t know when you would have got under the PGA tour. So I mean sometimes you say like timely intjection you know from parents who are really want to support their kids but at the same time not be aggressive pusher but you just have to be there in their life just to support them because they’re still young you know they’re like 20 21 you know they I’ve seen the lifelock more so I think having that you know just little bit closer to them and see what’s going on I think I would say don’t just leave up to the kids oh you know if the kid doesn’t make it I’m okay no just give them the opportunity if there is an opportunity you know be on the sidelines and just guide them you know guide them it’s not it’s not like sure guarantee but as long as you guide them if it happens it happens great then at least you know you can you can feel that you know you were part of a little bit of part of this journey too because I think I don’t think they can do it by themselves you know if it’s team sport is different because you know you get hired the team you know coaches are there somebody mentors will be there in the team but individual sport I don’t I don’t know who else can do it other than you know your parents yeah no so I was just fortunate that I was there at the right time right place and and I think I don’t know what it is with me like I just love sports and I saw the whole vision of what it takes to be professional. I used to read tiger road books and all that stuff. So I said you know if it has to happen it will happen but I had to be patient with myself. I got to guide him in the right steps. So I kind of learned the steps and I think you know hopefully s will look back you know he always mentions about me for sure and he knows that I think my timely you know being there at critical part of his life I’m sure he appreciates it very much. Oh, that’s so precious. I’m sure he did. I feel like we all kind of need our dads or our parents to guide us every once in a while. So, that’s so sweet that you were there for him. Um, was there a moment like when he like after he got his PJ card throughout that whole journey that made you pause and say like, “Wow, he’s really doing this. He’s going to go pro. Like, he’s here.” Yeah. You know, it didn’t really hit us until, you know, uh, I would say the tournament waste management. M we went there as we got you know exemption I was like pleading for the tournament director to get that exemption into the waste management but that’s not a you know just because you’re in a top 12 you don’t get it it’s like in still invitation field so he played decent at Genesis and this couple of folks from waste management this uh you know the tournament director came down flew and they gave exemptions oh man that moment was so excited for me you know because I always watch waste management TV I was so proud so when he went there and what he did like you know competing with scari He was there. Brooks kept you in a final day. He came close to winning. He had some little mistake. But that end of the tournament made me realize, oh my god, this kid knows how to play. He knows how to compete. He was there right there. And a lot of people the golf world doesn’t know. They think that he watched that 17th hole on the final day. You know, he should have been hitting the top. But he told me end of the tournament like I talked to him. He said that he was one stroke complete and he said that 18th was a hard hole for him to you know even paw it because it doesn’t set up because it sets up for a draw and he wanted to win that he wanted to get the birdie in 17th so hopefully as one shot or two shot cushion so he was going for the win so that is amazing to think I as a 22 year old he was going to win he was not just going to throw he said oh I’m good enough to you know play safe and get a second or third whatever it is so he wanted go and get it so that thinking of him like made me really proud that this kid, you know, he just sees the moment. He just wants to, you know, he’s thinking ahead. I want to get this booty on this soul because 18th could be hard. And he was going for the win. The whole world doesn’t know this scenario. The whole world thinks that, oh, you shouldn’t have hit the shot. He put in the water. He cost a comment. But what he learned, you know, going for that, I think I was so proud of it because that’s what makes winners versus, you know, the not so, you know, I would say not so, you know, average versus the greatest, you know, or sportsman, you know, is that mental, that mental toughness to go, you know, make your own dishes, you know, even though it’s Caddy probably or somebody else probably in the group might have been saying, “No, no, don’t thing.” But I think what he made, I think was that’s I think that’s that’s his I think that’s his DNA. I think if I the more I see him on the tour, that’s his DNA. That’s his natural DNA. He sees the things and he goes for it. He’s not thinking it’s going to cost me $100 or he’s going to make me like, you know, come in fifth, come in 10. He just sees it the moment and he just sees us. So that’s what I’m just proud of him. And that’s what I always tell him, you know, in the tour. I always enter just have fun, just play with that mindset, you know, you know, I’m never going to say just back off. Just go with that whatever feels right for you. So I think that just excites him, you know, to play. Yeah. So that was the turning point. I think that turning point and then the rest is really you know then he took up on and I think that just gave a lot of confidence to that playing with Scotty in the final group. I think Brooks Kepka I think previous David Sander just gave the confidence hey man these guys are the best in the world and I was able to come close and you know compete. So I think that takes a lot of you know probably confidence for him. So can be intimidating in that moment as well but he gave it his all. Absolutely. Yeah, he’s like, I got to do it all and give it my all. So, that’s really cool. Were there also ever doubts or any moments of uncertainty along the way throughout like his PGA process? Uh, you know what? One thing I did recognize he was number one in college in putting and chipping. I used to watch all the stats. You know, my feeling is I read I watched golf too much, too much to know. I mean, like crazy. that as long as chipping and putting is there, you know, his driving was always a weakness. So, we were like kind of like worried because he doesn’t hit Ferris, but his chipping and putting was so good a bit. I never doubted that he will never stay in the like top 50 or top 100 in the PG tour. I knew once he got on the tour, he’ll hang on to his place because his chipping and putting is so good. Even if he doesn’t drive 50% of the fairways, his game shot game would just get him there and he would, you know, that’s what I, you know, I talked to Scary Call. He said what is special about site you know you know because all this guys hit the ball so well they have great game what is special I think s he just said that you know in tour you have to be whatever your strengths are you got to keep that strength high high don’t ignore them don’t try to work on weakness so much where you ignore your strength so side strengths have been chopping and ping that he said that’s what separates him from like you know the average golfer so he believed in him that you know that’s the special thing he had that so so the one one Good thing is I always talk to people it’s not like sometimes you know when I get doubt I talk to his car I talk to his trainer I talk to his coach I talk to the agent see what they are thinking about it so and then you know I got a lot of you know supports you know who I’ve seen site through the college junior golf and I talked to them once in a while just to ease my mind you know so talking really helped me communicating you know to all these welfare and you know all the positive things I think just kept me going so I for never minute I doubted that he was never going to be you know once he got you know foot foot I thought he will always be good so I never doubted that I never had doubt that never fear basically that he would not do well I always go that hey he’s going to win every tournament literally in my mind so well especially like when he was in the final group at that waste management tour like oh how did how did that feel just like watching him go into it I just I kind of want to know a little bit more about that it’s so funny Melanie because that when he got the invitation I was so like ex like I was like you know so much I enjoyed it so I said oh I want to bring my family you know let’s talk so I brought in like 30 40 people of my enter my family my cousin I have seven or eight cousins here you know all their kids the spouses so we were like 20 30 of us went there and you know like we were there with every hole watching him and I mean we were just I was not seeing what he was competing with just enjoying his shots I didn’t I didn’t know you know I knew books kept you know Scotty but I was like not looking at I was looking at S and the way he was enjoying the whole thing in the fan interaction you know and so it was just like a right for us the whole family was just enjoying the thing and for never minute that you know we were like you know think that he was yeah they had only had to win it we were just cheering on every shot obviously there was one or two shots you know on 13th hole he got a bad break I was like yeah yeah yeah I was like you know saying that I didn’t like you know that bad break he got but you know the family was there and then we were just having you know fun the whole journey. So, never a stressful woman moment though. I mean, I think that even though he was in the final group with all trying to win, but never a stressful though. I mean, really, you would never be mentally like exhausted from like being so stressed. You know, I don’t think I was, but I think, you know, my wife, my, you know, my some of my, you know, friends, they said that, you know, they thought we had it and he lost it. Like, they were very stressed. I could tell that, but you know, as like I usually like I I go by shot by shot. I don’t look I’m not even looking at the scorecard. I always look for you know the shot he makes it. It’s a great shot I clap on it. So I’m looking say hey it’s a great shot is a good chance to make a birdie. That’s all I think about it. I’m not like stressed you know. So I’m not singing where leaderboard is what they are doing. I’m just like I for a good shot this is good for me. That’s all. Oh you’re just there for the moment. Yeah just just the moment. Yeah just the moment. Yeah. Well, looking back on everything from his very first swing and obviously Denal being like a successful PGA player, what are you most proud of Sah and not just in terms of golf but in like who Sahit has become as a person and who he’s becoming? Like what are you most proud of? Yeah, I think the the the a lot of people you know he was an introvert but you know when he comes to the golf course I see that he has so much fun on the golf course with his buddies or talk you know whatever it is so outside thing a lot of people didn’t know what about him but uh you know I don’t know I would say you know our family values our traditional you know where we came from India probably my dad’s you know you know my dad visited quite a few times when he was little maybe you know the little sessions he talked about him you know so maybe the value system I think he embodied very well being the elder son you know obviously we tried to shelter him a little bit rather than give the freedom but you know the family was really great they you know they really encouraged him my parents encraded him my wife’s parents were there always encouraging him so I don’t know what it is I think the environment was such that he turned out to be such a you know I mean very humble uh very humble and in the sense like you know even his cousins you know when he was growing ups 13 and 14 15 yards driver license they would love to stick around with him not just because he’s a golfer just because the person he is so I think that’s that’s his personality I don’t think we have taught him I think that’s way he’s born with the DNA whatever you call it so that humbleness is carried over to the next level to that the college level and especially you know the fans the volunteer security people he says hi and you know a lot of people they come back say you know your son is so amazing not just because a golfer you know he said hi to me and he said how was your day I I mean he’s such a nice kid you know so when people say certain things like that you’re so proud but I I always say it’s not me they always give credit to parents I don’t think you know sometimes in our Hindu mythology we say that you know sometime the kids we are lucky as a parent for my kid to be born to me as opposed to you know he being my son so I don’t know what it is but I think he’s such a humble very likable easy to root for I think his personality carries on the tour I think that’s the most proud moment of it there’s nothing I contributed but that’s the most proud of because other than the golfer that’s okay but I think what he’s humble the way people look at him and I think he’s definitely a role model for you know a lot of young kids you know I mean the way to play the game with fun and passion I think that’s what I want the whole world to see that he’s such a nice kid you know and he enjoys the game what he’s playing at it so and then we are there to support him so I want the world to know that that’s what he is you know he’s all him and you know and uh and it’s yeah it’s fun to watch him so which is all that matters honestly like having a humble heart because if you don’t have that then you go off the course and then what are you you know it’s like it’s nice that he’s like a well-rounded person. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And you know fortunately you know you know one good thing as I surrounded him with family and you know friends you know who always wanted to support. So having that support system is also good because I see on the tour there some newcomers are there they only one parent is supporting. I don’t see much cheering. Sometime it must be hard on them. I’m not saying that but it must be hard on them but I think fortunately I created environment just to engage friends and family give them free tickets here and there so there was enough you know gathering around him so he always saw that hey family is there you know friends are there to support him so always having that support system I think always helps especially in individual sport like you know golf or tennis or something so I think that he feeds on that I think he definitely feeds on that he knows it’s not because of golf we all love him whether what he does on the golf court So I think that assurance for him knowing that we are there you know supporting I think it makes his life journey a lot more easier for sure. No definitely especially like with golf because it’s obviously an independent like individual sport. So it’s like you don’t have your teammates kind of rooting for you. It’s just like you and the course and you in the field. So it’s nice to have that like support system of your parents and friends and family. So absolutely because the one of the things I like last two years you know like I said you know I bring in friends and family we support side is paid up with two more people we support everybody all three making birdies end of the day you know those two other players you know these are like Tony Fino these are big player name they come and say thank you for cheering you know it’s something they don’t get to see that a lot because somebody is invested in one player you always like cheer for them but you’re not paying attention we cheer and these people really acknowledges that it was so much fun to play side because you bring in that support and the support is there for us too when we a good shot. So I think we bring totally different culture to this you know fan base. I think you know that’s something new. I always tell golf channel I tell the media this is that’s that’s why I want to get involved because I’m going to make this game a lot more fun because it was that’s what people thought you just got to keep your head down and play this game just cheer little bit clap and go. No I said it’s got to be any other sport just have fun with it you know. So I think we are trying to change the thing and I think media knows now quite a bit that you know when we are there it’s like cheer loud cheer you know for good time for everybody in the group you know not just sides. So yeah I think this concept of changing that I think it’s the people on the PJ tour other PJ tour members are realizing it and they always come and thank me thank my friends my family so I think that’s something new I think they are seeing it too. So yeah. Well, no. Especially like I mean the way that you talk about it, it’s like obviously he’s going to be like a very well-rounded person and like humble and kind out there just because of obviously the values that you guys have instilled in him. I mean supporting for everyone like in the competitive sort of group and stuff. I feel like it takes a lot and so he knows it and he learns it from you guys. Yeah. Because at the end of the day I want him to realize you know playing individual sport like uh you know golf you know you need you need a peers. unity peers to help him. So since him being an introvert, he doesn’t speak a lot. So I don’t know how many really you know you know peers would really like you know trying to you know kind of like unless he ask he doesn’t ask for it uh trying to help him. So I think I try to bring that environment where I’m talking to other journey I talk to other PGA players. So I just wanted them to feel that we are all as a team you know. So I think in my doing that I’m hoping that you know they become you know they go and they go and volunteer some of the information to scythe and I’ve seen started happening that some of Scythe is really good with Sander you know Tony you know so he’s developed that you know mechanism where now now he’s taking the ownership hey I got to be with my peers he’s opening up more so maybe being me being there my family and my friends supporting maybe he saw that so I think that’s what I want to do everything in my possible power to help him guide him to get to the next level whatever his level is I’m not saying top 10 top 50 or top 100 but I want him to enjoy the process about you know getting the peers help or whatever it is you know to make it happen and I just and he acknowledges that you know he won’t it’s not him alone he needs to you know that’s why he moved to Jupiter too so he can be hang out with you know top players he can work with them so some of the decisions he’s making in his life are unbelievable I think I think he’s looking you know uh very in the sense like I want to be good at it I want to just enjoy it all right so He’s doing all the right things. Yeah. Yes. Stephanie, there was one incident I want to mention. I think I’m sure Chris remembers it. There was a tournament Chris was conducting in uh I would say, you know, somewhere San Diego P. I’m not sure exactly what golf course it is. And this like front n side was not playing well. And all of a sudden this huge thunderstorm comes from nowhere and it pours like rain like crazy. And you know, and then uh and then it was pouring so much. It was all wet and yucky, all this stuff. And here you go like we come after ninth hole and we come to 10th hole and this Chris I think a lot of parents were like wanted to withdraw with their kids and I guess they’re talking to Chris and Chris was thinking about you know canceling the tournament and here is like come to 10th wall and he says not good at all bad I want to play like go and shoot very well was like motivated and and I like and and and and me and Scythe goes Chris what are you doing can we play said no I’m canceling it and like me and Scythe was like scythe was very disappointed. I want to play I wanted to because I didn’t play well in the front. So what I’m saying is that incident little like I’m sure Chris saw that site was only one who said that every kid wanted to go away because it was boring. It was yucky. Wow. So they all wanted to go but site was the only one who wanted to play that finish off that n so so that is the kind of like love the game. He loves it so much. I’m sure Chris saw that, you know, at that point. But that’s the thing like, you know, you could see inside that he loves the game so much, you know, nothing’s going to bother him, you know. So, because, you know, he could be distracted, but he just love the game. So, that little instead. I love that. That’s so cute because if it was raining for me, shoot, I’d be like, I’m going to go home. It’s too wet, too much. But that’s awesome that he he wanted to like stick through it and stick through it around his back nine even though it was pouring rain and he was maybe going to be the only one. He’s like I want to try because I I can feel like I’m going to play good on the back, you know? Maybe he had that feeling. So that’s awesome. Beyond the highlight reels, what stands out for you about the behind the scenes moments like the early wakeups, endless drives, maybe the silent rides after a rough day and the small winds no one else sees. You know, you know, one thing about Sait is always early morning getter. So, you know, even when his academics, he would just study early in the morning. Uh so, so he’s ready for the exam or something. So, I think that mentality I look I I kind of liked what he was, you know, doing with academics. So, I said I need to do something. So, so when I was seven or eight years old, when he was seven or eight, I I said that, you know, we didn’t have much time to go into practice rounds and a lot of golf tournament. So I made the used to go to Google maps and make this map of the siege hole and I would use elevation view I would put like 250 yards and I would put the green that and all that stuff. So I would make this map and then the same thing and I before a tournament that morning when he wakes up he’s sitting in the bathroom I would I had the print out previous day I would say just go through that stuff and you will look at it. So I think you know taking that same mentality of morning you know the freshness just having that that you know the the the golf course view like a elevation view seeing that each hole while he’s sitting in the bathroom I think you know in the I think I later in the life I you know when he was 12 13 I used to do that for until all the way to high school he said that every time I think when he looked at the map he said probably straight day one or two strokes just having that vision where the mistakes are where not to go because sometimes when you play at the ground level you don’t see all the perspective But giving the elevation view how the golf course looks that is something I think I I don’t know how many people parents have done that but I did that diligently for every tournament. So I would say behind the scenes that is some of the things my even my friends who were like some of their their kids have played golf they saw that they said they they were amazed what I was doing. So they wanted to have the same thing for their kids too. something I’d kind of learned. I don’t know how I got that idea, but having that stuff, I think behind the scene, I would say doing little things like that, I think probably, you know, I think it helps sides game, you know, and then, you know, especially for tournament golf, you know, he said he could save like a stroke here and there. So, doing little things like that probably behind the scene probably, you know, I think I was there doing the my part of the, you know, thing, you know, how to help him. That’s that’s sweet that you took the time to like print it out. Here’s the line you should take. Here’s where you should. Like, that’s cool. That’s super sweet. I love that. Yeah, because a lot of those maps they give you in the golf course, you know, the yardage marks, the kids don’t know how to read it. I can take I can take thousand kids. There’s only probably one kid knows how to read those map, those yardages. They’re like too complicated because they don’t have the elevation view. So, it’s all like view. At least the kids I’m not talking about when they get to college probably, but at least 13 until 12 13 they don’t know how to read it. So, the way I used to make it like match with all color. So I think probably you know that’s easy for some visual players you know I think scythe probably is not like uh you know very methodical but visually maybe so good maybe he got the hang of it so so that’s what I always tell that you know if you have a kid you know who’s into sports recognize what he’s good at what he is visually does he need a systematic step A step B step C if the kid is like that then go training go coach go coaching him go the traditional route of go get a good coach and do the all the traditional but scythe was always like I don’t think he really like kind of like got a little information he would go try himself and then he would do the same thing instead his academics too would ask for a little bit help but he would go and do himself and he won’t ask you until he goes figure it out so I kind of recognized him early in life so so that’s way I kind of guided him rather than saying that hey you got to go to the coach every day practice no the coach was really optional for me you know because he used to I used to take him once a week but I never forced him if he didn’t want to go I never forced him because because he wanted to probably go back and hey a I learned little lesson from my coach last month. I want to go work on it. So he’s not ready for the next lesson until he himself goes and tries it. He was always like that because even now he does the same thing you know you present coach to you know he wants to you know get a lesson and he wouldn’t call the coach back because he wants to work on it. He wants to what he can get about it. So each kid is different but in my kid I recognized Sait was he was good at this way. So that’s why I kind of like encouraged him. So there’s no standard formula for encouraging your kids but you recognize what they’re good at you know so maybe especially good at it like the map was really good for him and then you know being creativity for some kids they want the creativity get the creativity early in their life rather than discipline no you got to chip like this chip only one way maybe some kids like that I mean it’s okay but thing is you recognize that what strikes them and what they’re having fun at it and then if they’re having fun at it try to get that more into their you know their natural you know what are the teaching or whatever it is the the skills you don’t want to teach them make it that way you know make it a little more you know that way natural to them rather than very you know very methodical you know so so like as I said the only thing is you be my my advice is basically be uh you know positive positive and clear communication always clear communication and then you got to be have unconditional love after all they’re kids you know you got to have unconditional love because you can’t beat up a kid because you didn’t play not dogs and you know your son you’re loving them is nothing to do with it. So it’s unconditional love. You got to have clear communication and then you know they’ll make mistakes. It’s okay to make mistakes because they’ll learn from it and that’s where you are there to guide them. It’s okay to make mistakes and help them you know. So positive always create a positive vibes. I think you know I think I learned it because initially when I thought you know coming from the Indian background I thought I have for my kid because that’s where we’ve been brought up because you know with a billion people you know we don’t you know are not disciplined we don’t work hard it’s hard to compete in the life you know. disciplined to be like that. But somehow I learned very early in life, especially in golf, that I shouldn’t be like that. I should be having fun and teach him to make him fun, make him, you know, love the game rather than me loving the game. So, because that will stick with them. They love the game if it makes their passion rather than my passion. Yeah. Obviously, there is it’s a fine line where the passion is, you know, how you pass the bat on, but you know, for it was easy because he loved the game so much. It was easy, you know, for him. He was having fun. I was having fun too. So maybe other kids a little more challenging when you pass the bat on. Maybe you need to guide them until 10 11 before you pass the baton. But it was very early for me I could pass the bat on. He was loving it. So so that’s what I would say you know just you know just guide them guide them in the right process. And you know always don’t know don’t think that you know miracles are going to happen. It’s going to be there’s so much stuff in professional any sport that you got to be timing you know timing is such a key thing. uh you know it has to happen things at the right time to be successful. So so sometime the timing is wrong it can you know it cannot happen so so you just have to accept that in life. Um how do you think junior golf helped shape Sah into becoming the person he is both on and off the golf course? Oh tremendous tremendous. I think like as I said the big thing is he was such an introvert kid but on the golf course he loved it. I could see that interaction and especially it’s so funny like even I’m sure Chris noticed it you know after the junior golf tournament you know they would be doing the scores and they were calling his names and he would still be putting and chipping and you know a lot of parents and a lot of kids saw that they said this kid is winning he doesn’t have the greatest swing but he’s winning tournament and they’re ready to call his name and he’s still putting and chipping. So a lot of parents saw that and they would send their kids to hey go hang out with Scythe you know after the round. So that’s society was like one of those guys after the round of golf he needs that me time that me time is go p chip do whatever on the golf course and then he would be ready to hey let’s do rest of the world you know go eat or something like that so I think that thing about you know what he was doing you know on the golf course and all the kids came through I think it developed a great deed for him I think that’s why he knows humbleness he knows respect he understands you know saying you know hi how was your A all these things you learn from junior golf it would it would have happened probably in a you know school environment where you you know uh maybe that that environment is slightly different you know so but I think on golf course you learned a lot so I’m just uh I think that’s that’s that’s fun. Yeah. No that’s awesome. Um so what was your approach when things didn’t go perfectly? Whether Sah had a miscut or a bad round or kind of like a hard season. you feel like you’ve kind of touched on this a little bit, but how did you help him bounce back? Yeah, you know, I I would want to, you know, tell you one incident where Scythe, you know, for during the what was teenage years, for some reason, you know, obviously, I don’t know, teenage years, being a teenage years, going to high school, maybe distraction, he was not, you know, not focused well and he got into, you know, maybe through his friends, some video games and all that, he was not focused much on golf. He was going practicing but I don’t think maybe he was enjoying it. So he start like in 80s couple of tournaments he shot he didn’t even break 80. So I called Chris. Chris I’m really concerned now because this kid always shoots in 70s or under power. He’s done able to break 80. You know Chris said Merly just go have him play the retis at my home local golf course. And so I said okay s let’s go just play retie just for the fun of it. And he shot like 62 63 in my home court. and the next tournament boom he’s back in tournament he’s winning trophies he’s back into scoring underpaw so I don’t know what it is so I think me you know asking for advice when I was in a difficult situation asking the you know people who know about this thing really helped me I think Chris was a big for me and just you know just asking him hey say what do I do because I’m lost here you know his coach cannot fix him his coach is trying to look at the swing but he’s not there watching the golf tournament he’s not seeing why he shot he just probably say he doesn’t know. So I but I’m seeing it something doesn’t feel right. So so asking the people you know the right questions and I think really helped me and then obviously you know uh side you know I mean I didn’t have much talk with him because it was always a you know you know great comeback player but I think just a distraction maybe he was not focused but when you know we settled down hey we said hey you can play video games for an hour you know first finish homework video games is okay. So we kind of like put little discipline rules. His mom like really was into that stuff. Just guided him. Hey, you know, these are the ground rules, you know, and then you go play golf. So I think maybe at that maybe at that minute just kind of having a strategy probably or just guiding them. I think I think it’s always good. You cannot say that oh let them be on their own. I think just guide right guide I think right time guidance. I think we were fortunate me and my wife recognized that I think at that minute when he was like teenager years. So that was the I would say the probably the nervous phase in my whole life. That was only nervous but I think we handled it. I think within a couple of months he was back on track. He was a he was playing video games. He was getting enough sleep because you know he was not he was sleeping well. So he was getting I think everything kind of like worked out. But I think us recognizing that interjecting at the right minute I think checking that he was playing video game. I think also helped us how to guide the you know kid and he was such a you know I mean it’s easy for him to guide him because he was always you know you know like he he learned he learned he he knew what was right and wrong so just that we were right praying right time to tell him what is right and what is wrong and that guidance also helps for the kids to tell them what is right and wrong so I think I’m sure you know that helped them to you know get to the next level so yeah that was only I would say not the nervous time, but other than that, everything was smooth because I was having so much fun. Well, um I guess another thing we want to talk about is burnout. Burnout is something that we see a lot, not only in golf, but in almost every youth sport. Um there’s this pressure to perform. There’s constant travel, packed schedules, and all of that can really take a toll on athletes. So, for parents who are worried about burnout, um I guess what advice would you give and are there any tips that you’d share to help them sort of support their junior golfers through their ups and downs and kind of sway away from burnout? Yeah, like as I said, the biggest thing I learned is after that like when you turned the teenage years when I had that like couple of months all that stuff. What I learned is I think if we you know not let them be their passion now at some point you got to have their passion because if it’s their passion they’ll try. There’s nothing like burnout to me. It’s like they’re having fun. It’s their passion. So I think I told this incident to papadine coach about when they were recruiting him and you know one thing he told Merley it’s so glad you told me because this is what I fight with lot of freshmen when they come to freshman they’re under the guidance of their parents or coaches all their life till 17 when they come to the the college the freshman they are like they’re saying they have the freedom now so this is where the burnout or this is that losing passion occurs but scythe already went through that phase in you know the teenage years because we were there to guide So he really loved that. He said morley that is such a positive things what you bring in you know because I think your kid has already go through I feel like when he comes freshman you’ll have the passion I don’t see any burnout I can make him work out I can do a lot of stuff I don’t think I don’t see it so I think you know recognize that and making their passion is such a key thing so you have to let it go at some point I think a lot of parents you know I’ve seen around me thousands of kids they stick with their you know you know with their kids for 17 too long make it their passion or their frustation If they’re not playing kids not playing well they show that I think you have to you know back off and you know let it let it happen let it happen their passion somehow you know if it happens you know their passion I think that there’s a less chance of burnout but I think that’s where you have to recognize it I think in sides case we were fortunate that whatever I call that bad phase happened when he was teenager so when he went to college everything was good just he was h he was having fun good good stuff the good small college he loved his teammates. So, it was all nothing, no burnout. I know I used to go some other golf tournaments, you know, the coach would be yelling, they didn’t play well. They would be sitting in the airport doing their homework, but that didn’t phase him at all because he loved the golf so much. Obviously, maybe they didn’t like the way they played, but next tournament they came to ready to play. So, I never saw the question of burnout in the kind of like side. you I’ve seen a lot of those cases where you know parents pressure or whatever the coaches pressure it was like more they wanted more for their son than the kid wanted himself for more so I think somewhere you have somewhere we have to let it go I think as parents we just have to let it go at whatever stage in life that let it be their more passion 90% their passion maybe 10% your passion if it happens then I think there’s a very less case of burnout but I think if it’s yours 80 90% passion and theirs is they’re just doing it because they’re trying to please you because they’re good. They’re good and you’re trying to put money and then you’re trying to please you. Then I think there’s a very big danger that the burnouts are college, you know, they go to college and they don’t have parents to guide them and you know, so maybe there’s a big danger of, you know, burnout and like passing the bet on, you know, when he was going to Pepper Dine, I told coach, hey, I was a dad for him. Now you’re going to be dad for him. Yeah. You just have to put the trust. You need to parents openly need to go tell the tell the next phase whoever is taking your kid tell them hey now you are the parent you just make them feel that they’re also part of the family just don’t say hey I’m sending to the teacher I’m going to pay thousands of dollars make them part of your you say that hey you know what I was a parent I get in him now it’s your job you know guide him be a parent for him I think when the transition occurs they invest in more in your kid and that’s when they invest more there’s a very less chance of burnout. So, but I think not speaking as parents, I think that is because I’ve seen that in my own front of eyes. So many good kids burned out because you know the parents didn’t have the nice transition to the next phase. So, I think you got to transition well. You got to transition well. So, yeah. Yeah. Thank you. No, that’s great advice. Yeah. Um, as a dad, what’s your biggest hope for Sah’s future in golf and in his own personal life? uh you know just for golf what bothers me once in a while is because I think there is uh now I’m seeing the evidence that you play when you’re so young 3 years old and your body is not even developed you’re hitting balls I think there is a lot more wear and tear I recognize there’s going to be a lot more wear and tear rather than when you play at 10 years old when you start like seriously 10 years old because most of your body is developing because at three years old your brain is developing your body is still developing so the pe kids who started very early and then they’re playing to this level. There’s a lot of wear. So, I’m always like concerned on wear and tear. So, I always side I tell them just take care of your basic thing. Just work out just stay, you know, healthy enough. I know no golfer, no sportsman plays with, you know, zero pain. They’re always playing with some pain, but manage your pain. Just, you know, do your just diligence enough. Don’t beat up your body to work out so much crazy, but just keep your body healthy so that I would like you to enjoy golf because I know you love golf play for next 10 years. So that’s my thing is like I was worried about you know his wrist injury you know his his back little bit scoliosis I always guide him just do the regular basic stuff with PD just keep that under control I don’t care about golf will happen because you know you’re so good at golf nothing’s going to take you away those skills you’re born with it nobody’s going to take away but if you keep a healthy body I think you know then you know you can play this golf for next 10 15 years enjoy the golf so that’s only my advice I just tell s all the time just take care of your body I don’t care how you play but just taking care of your body. I know your game is good enough. And I always one thing is I say play with the passion how you play as a kid. I always repeat Pepperdine Co said the same thing. Chris said the same thing. A lot of people said the same thing about uh you know that site the way he plays it he has to have fun. But people when you don’t see around when he’s not having fun it’s not going to be good. So I we see that and we always tell give him the feedback. Hey you know what I saw you were not having fun. So give that feedback immediately to him. And I think always helped him to say hey you know what yes I was not having fun. So I think trying to bring the fun to him and uh just keeping healthy I think uh I feel like you know golf will take care of himself. Other other than that I think uh you know you know uh professionally I think he’s so matured and you know when I talk to him about his own body knowing his body how far it can go I think he seems to be in a good space you know I think uh he’s taken a lot of ownership on himself that he’s not just you know w la you know people take care of it and so he’s taken initiative on his side you know take care of his body and this personal life so I’m proud of you know where he’s heading so excited for his next phase in A no that is exciting. Um so on to like our final questions. One of them is what message would you give to young FCG players that are listening to listening right now and um look up to Sah and his incredible journey. Yeah. The one thing I did tell you know tell a lot of kids is a lot of thing when opportunity comes in you know you got to play enough tournaments because you could practice you could go shoot 600 on your home court doesn’t mean much but when you’re in put tournament can you handle the same pressure can you handle the atmosphere so you need to give enough test like in school you give enough test to know how good they are doing it so I always tell you know you know kids to play enough tournaments so that you know you get the feedback obviously if you’re playing bad enough just stop it work on whatever it needs to be done come back but play enough tournaments to get the feedback because that’s the best feedback playing the tournaments feedback is the is the best thing and like as I said you know take the help you know talk clearly you know when things go down wrong talk to your coach talk to your parents what open communication talk to it freely you know maybe the parents will take initiative but I hope the kids also ask the right questions you know because the few times s asked made me amazing to you know one time there was an incident when s said two weeks in a row we were playing golf and he saw all kids were playing going to Disneyland or everything and all of a sudden he asked me that how come we are playing too much golf how come we can’t go to like Disneyland I said okay let’s go two weeks no golf I told him let’s do everything so when he did that stuff when I told him that stuff when he came back he was hungry for golf so I think we have to listen as the parents do when the kids say and give him that opportunity for them to you know just you know let them let them come back you know so I think as I say I want to encourage the kids to talk what they’re feeling because if you really want to love the game and you want to become the next level, talk open communication, talk to your parents, talk to your coaches, get the guidance like I was, you know, like always, you know, when the side is not playing well, I go and approach all the people. So parents side, they need to go and talk to parent who watch them the golf tournament. You were not there maybe watch some of the parent talk to them what you do other. So I would say it should be like open communication and you know and learn learn. I think this just game is learn forever. This game you never say you learned it. and golf is like I play golf now it’s like you have to learn every time you know so learning never stops in golf so you just have to accept the fact that you’re always you know there’s a scope for improvement you’ll never say that I’m good enough so you always have to have open mind to learn it and get better because whatever that incremental point one person will get you a better player so so I would say the kids just have fun obviously have fun talk to your parents and you know if parents are being not nice just openly tell them come on dad you know I I want to have fun you know you know and I’m not botching the game I’m playing hard you know so accept it you know yes help me if I don’t do you know correct techniques take me to coach you know ask for help I would say you know parents kids talking openly parents also will guide the you know the the players but like as I said you know obviously I think to get to the next level I always tell a lot of people ask me is winning everything you have to learn to win if you don’t know how to win you cannot get to the next level Unfortunately, you play sports, sports is different from academics. You know, academics you you know you are good at 90% whatever you do and you can be successful in life. But in sports 90% may not be good enough. You know how to win. You have to win because that gives you confident. So you have to learn to be in or top three at every level before you can say dream about a professional life. So you have to know because otherwise you’re going to if you don’t win you’re going to become average average and comes to a point in professional life it won’t even feed you. we don’t you know give you you know you can’t even put food on your table so you can’t do that so you have to learn to win so you got to motivate yourself so winning breeds confidence so just you know go with the mindset that I’m going to beat the golf course you know whatever your score is that day and I’m going to win that that’s good breeds confidence so you take it to the next level that that winning thing you know so definitely winning is important I always say that if you’re not winning if you’re not winning enough it’s you know you just got to you know motivate yourself do whatever it needs to do to the next level. So, yeah. So, thank you. Um, and lastly, one kind of final question. Um, to all the golf moms and dads out there, what’s one thing that you want them to remember on this journey? Like as I said, you know, uh, I would say, you know, positive, create a positive environment and make sure, you know, it’s fun. I mean, you are enjoying the process, too. I know a lot of parents cannot you know go and watch their son because they’re working two jobs or whatever it is but whenever you get a chance be there because that helps them the kids I think you know don’t shy away no he’s too nervous no he’s not shy it’s just a sport how how can you be so nervous it’s a sport have fun so say encourage parents to go and you know watch their kids have fun give a give a positive wipes you know obviously you know like I said you got to take time to you know like be a teacher you need to decide when to become teacher but most of the time being a parent having fun. So I would say you just buy and guide them you know positive wives and you know remember that you know you know unconditional love that you know they’re after all kids you know we don’t know what they’re destined to become but you know just have the positive environment you know just love and open communication if you do that you know it’ll work out 99% of the time I think you know things will work out you know there’s somebody out there it’ll work out so awesome thank you so Sure, no problem. Well, Mr. Thigala, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down and chat with us. It was such an honor and it was so special just getting to hear your story, your perspective, um, as a parent who’s been through it all. So, um, thank you so much. Thank you guys. Thank you, Melanie. Thank you, Stephanie. Yes. Thank you. Say hi to Grace from my side. Yes, we will. We will. Byebye. Byebye. Thanks. Yes. Thank you. Um, it’s been a pleasure. Your thoughtful insights today will not only stick with us, but with our listeners, our players, and our FCG families. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to follow FCG Weekly and share it with your fellow golf families and friends. We have so much more coming your way and are excited to share with you guys. Yeah. Thank you for tuning in and we’ll see you next time on FCG Weekly.