It has been a rough year for Sahith Theegala on the PGA Tour. Despite making 14 starts on the PGA Tour, Theegala has only made the top 25 twice, with his highest-ever finish being T17 at the Genesis Invitational. There is huge difference compared to last year, when he had five top 10 finishes, including two runner-ups at the Sentry and the RBC Heritage. He has only missed two cuts this season, but he is still far away from the exemplary golfer who finished third in the FedEx Cup standings last year.

This month has been no better for the Pepperdine University alum. Theegala had  withdrawn from the Truist Championship recently after having competed at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course for three days, where he carded 69, 78, and 71. This is the first time that the PGA Tour pro has withdrawn from a tournament in 116 starts. And now that has led to another setback, which Theegala would see as highly unfortunate.

Sahith Theegala will not be participating in the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. The 27-year-old has withdrawn from the event after incurring a neck injury and will be replaced by Alex Smalley. This would have been Theegala’s third appearance at the PGA Championship. He first played the major in 2023, where he finished T40, and then finished T12 in 2024. Missing the major is a very unfortunate situation for Theegala, whose appearance at the 2025 Masters resulted in a T29 finish earlier this year.

This is big news from the one-time PGA Tour winner, especially considering that his girlfriend very recently put out a reel calling out trolls who were blaming her for Theegla’s misfortune on the course. The golfer has indeed had a rough season with the club. But to blame her for his mishaps on the golf course is a bit too much. That’s what the online trolls did. 

Julianna Chan responds to online trolls vehemently.

Chan had met Sahith Theegala while studying at Pepperdine University. Juju, as she is called affectionately, was part of the swimming team at the university. They have been together since 2017, reportedly, and she has been a rock beside her boyfriend, showing great support for his success. She is very active on social media, documenting her life and even part of her boyfriend’s in a fun manner.

So, when online trolls came calling, she did not keep quiet and take it. Juju Chan put up a reel with the caption that said, “Why are you guys so obsessed with me?” In the reel, she was putting on lipstick while sitting in the driver’s seat of a car, looking unbothered and unruffled. The reel also had a note that said, “When people say my boyfriend is playing badly because of me,” clearly indicating that the online trolls can say what they want, but she is not affected by it.

The reel garnered great support in the golfing world, especially from Jordan Hall and Katherine Fitzpatrick, wives of PGA Tour pros Harry Hall and Matt Fitzpatrick, respectively. There were several comments in support of Chan, and now that Theegala’s injury situation has come to light, the trolls should know better than to mess with someone just for the sake of it.

Here’s to wishing Sahith Theegala a speedy recovery! Hope you come back stronger than ever!