Sahith Theegala’s Girlfriend Reacts to Controversial Penalty That Cost Him $2.5 Millionq

A video featuring PGA Tour star Sahith Theegala and his girlfriend, Juju R. Chan Julianna, has gained widespread attention after they both reacted to a controversial two-stroke penalty that Theegala imposed on himself during the third round of the Tour Championship. The penalty, which he called on himself, ended up costing him a potential $2.5 million in earnings.

During the third round on Saturday, Theegala, 26, was faced with a challenging situation on the par-4 3rd hole. While making his approach shot from a fairway bunker, Theegala noticed something unusual. He was “90% sure some grains of sand had moved” during his backswing, which led him to call a two-stroke penalty on himself. This act of integrity garnered praise from numerous PGA Tour fans, who commended Theegala for his honesty.
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However, the implications of the penalty became apparent 24 hours later. Theegala’s final round at East Lake was an impressive 64, securing him a third-place finish and a check for $7.5 million. Yet, without the two-shot penalty, Theegala would have finished tied for second place with Collin Morikawa. This tie would have resulted in both players splitting $20 million ($12.5 million for second place and $7.5 million for third place), with each taking home $10 million. Instead, Morikawa walked away with $12.5 million, while Theegala’s earnings remained at $7.5 million.

The FedEx Cup champion, Scottie Scheffler, claimed his seventh PGA Tour victory of the season and a record-breaking first-prize check of $25 million.

After the third round, Theegala’s girlfriend, Juju, reflected on the penalty in a video while they were in the car. “My boyfriend is playing for $25 million, and today he gave himself a two-stroke penalty,” Juju said, setting the stage for Theegala to explain the situation further.

In the video, Juju turned the camera to Theegala, who elaborated on the incident, giving viewers insight into the moment that led to the costly decision.

Theegala also addressed the situation in interviews with the media.

Sahith Theegala has made a name for himself on the PGA Tour, winning his first and only title to date at the 2023 Fortinet Championship. His impressive performance at the Tour Championship bumped him up from 15th to 12th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

**Who is Sahith Theegala’s Girlfriend?**

Sahith Theegala and Juju R. Chan Julianna have been dating since their time at Pepperdine University, where they both attended in 2017. Their shared passion for sports played a significant role in bringing them together.

While Theegala was making a name for himself in college golf, winning tournaments like the Southwestern Invitational in his final year at Pepperdine, Juju was excelling in swimming. She was part of the university’s swim team that broke the record in the 200-meter event at the Pacific Coast Swim and Dive Conference Championships in 2019.

Their shared commitment to excellence in their respective sports has strengthened their bond, and they continue to support each other as they pursue their careers.