Sahith Theegala discovered the hard way that pushing the limits doesn't always yield favorable results, and an uncanny injury taught him the lesson.

Following the play of February 4 at the WM Phoenix Open, the PGA Tour pro peeled back the curtain on a muscle strain that nearly derailed his entire season. Theegala called it the second most gruesome injury in his career, but also highlighted how it became worse with time. 

He labeled his 2019 collegiate wrist injury as the nastiest. However, he said, "That was really easy to deal with because I couldn't do anything. I needed surgery and sat out for six months. However, because his muscle strain was minor, he continued playing with it, which made it worse.

He described the instance saying, "In this case, it was just a muscle strain. I tried playing through it for so long and lost lot a bunch of speed, mechanics went down. Docs were telling me I could play through it, which I could, but it was a mental struggle."

The strain eventually triggered a neck issue, forcing him to finally pump the brakes. Only after months of rest and rehab did he realize how compromised he'd actually been. 

Sahith Theegala Learned to Refrain From Working on His Game While Injured

Theegala's revelation at Wednesday's pre-tournament press conference runs counter to the grind-it-out mentality that dominates professional sports. Many may have benefited from it, but continuing with an injury had an adverse effect on Theegala's game.

As a result, the 28-year-old learned a valuable lesson from the experience. During the WM Phoenix Open press conference, he said, "Working on your game while you're injured is not the move. It is just how can I get my body to where I want it to feel."

Now, early in the season when most players should feel close to 100%, Theegala is applying a new philosophy. If his game's off, the focus shifts entirely to physical recovery rather than technical tweaks. It's a hard-won lesson from someone who didn't think he needed another one.

His speed's back now, and so is his perspective on managing the wear and tear that comes with tour life.

Do you know any athletes who pushed through an injury only to make it worse?

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Souvik Roy