It’s getting harder and harder to make it to the PGA Tour.
Not only is there a massive host of young talent trying to make it in professional golf, but there are also fewer spaces than ever on tour. The PGA Tour reduced the number of full tour cards to 100, down from 125, so if it wasn’t difficult enough already, there are now 25 fewer people getting their cards every year.
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There are a number of things separating those who don’t get their tour cards from those who do, and part of that is how the pros train. Practicing well can give you an edge, day after day, and year after year, until you’ve improved at a faster rate than all of your peers.
That’s easier said than done, but PGA Tour winner Sahith Theegala revealed how he thinks juniors should practice to best position themselves to make it to the pros.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
How Sahith Theegala thinks junior golfers should practice
Sahith Theegala has had a red-hot start to 2026, finishing in the top 10 of two of his first three events. He came up through the NCAA system, becoming only the fifth person ever to win the Haskins Award, the Ben Hogan Award, and the Jack Nicklaus Award in the same year.
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Before his fourth start of the 2026 PGA Tour season, he was asked what a junior needs to focus on to make it to the pros, and he gave an incredibly insightful answer.
The American said, “I think it’s tough. It’s tough, especially with I feel like golf is just getting better at an earlier and earlier age.
“I’m seeing guys that are in high school and college hit it further than guys on Tour. The distance thing is a big thing. I think something that’s – it’s easier said than done, but just ignoring that part and finding your own path.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids lose their game trying to chase distance rather than hone in their craft. What I did personally and what I think has worked for a lot of my peers and a lot of my friends is focus on the part of your game that I love the most. For me, that was chipping.
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“I just chipped as much as I could. Did a ton of chipping contests. Didn’t matter if I knew they were a good or bad chipper, I just wanted to beat them, and I got my best practice in that way.
“I struggled with my driver a lot early on. I knew I was struggling with Driver, but when I was doing chipping contests or chipping games or working on a crazy spinny chip, I forget about 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 chipping. In a way it freed up the rest of my game as well. I would say find a part of the game you love, focus on that.
“In terms of transition from junior to pro golf, college golf is great. You’re there with 6 to 7 of your best friends. You all want to kind of make it to the same level of golf. You all want to be a pro.
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“Just kind of push each other in that way. Listen to your peers for sure. Yeah, golf is the best, so just enjoy it.”
In a world where everyone is trying to become the next Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau, be Phil Mickelson, and find your niche!
How Sahith Theegala built a career with his short game
Theegala’s practice routine as a junior has worked wonders for him during his professional career. No matter how well or poorly he was playing in other areas of his game, he’s always been able to rely on his chipping to get him out of trouble.
Theegala has earned a reputation as one of the PGA Tour’s premier escape artists. He’s got a silky touch and an eye for chipping, which has been developed since he was a junior. His longtime coach, Rick Hunter, has described his short-game ability as world-class for nearly a decade.
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He consistently ranks highly in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green, often appearing in the top 15 on the PGA Tour, and this year has gained 0.65 strokes to the field around the green, bettered only by his putting so far.
His short game mastery has earned Theegala a long and successful career on the PGA Tour.
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