When you’ve spent a gruelling year being a caddie to a professional player, it’s nice to be rewarded. And it seems that PGA Tour star Sahith Theegala was well aware of that after the best year of his career.
The American, 26, featured in all four major tournaments in 2024, notably finishing 12th at the PGA Championship in May.
He’s now ranked 13th in the Official World Golf Rankings, having also represented Team USA in their Presidents Cup win in September.
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In touching footage, the emerging star has now repaid his assistant Carl Smith in kind. In footage posted on Instagram, he hands his bagman a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch, said to be worth more than £36,000.
“This isn’t for me, is it?” Smith asked as he opened his gift. “Yeah, it is,” Theegala replied. “You earned it. It was a lot of hard work (you did). I just got you this”
Smith jokingly replied with “Aren’t you buying dinner tonight?” The pair then embraced, with the caddie fighting back tears as the golfer told him that he fully deserved the recognition.
“That’s not mine,” Smith said. “No way Sahith. Lucky me. Oh my Gosh. I don’t even know if I said thank you yet, Are you kidding me? You know what I always say. Even if you didn’t get me anything. Even if you just said thank you. It would make me want to show up and work harder every single day.”
The gesture is a rare moment of humility in an era where professional golf is dominated by financial aspects. And fans online were full of praise for the gesture from the one-time PGA Tour winner.
“Comes across as a great bloke from a lovely family on Full Swing,” said @DavidAberneth14. “This is more proof of that.” @fluffyduck88 added: “Seems a great fella. Been watching out for him the last few years.”
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The subject of players praising caddies has been topical this weekend, with Rory McIlroy lavishing praise on Harry Diamond after finishing top of the DP World Tour Standings for the sixth time.
“He gets his fair share of stick and it's not warranted," said the Northern irishamn. "He's an amazing caddie and the best friend I could ever ask for."
