Sahith Theegala has an experience he won’t soon forget

He spent the final 36 holes of his first pro tournament playing in the same group with Phil Mickelson. He had an animated gallery with family, friends and teammates, a group that made at least as much noise as Mickelson’s always-large following when his putts found the hole.

Not bad for a 19-year-old college sophomore who got into the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club only after winning a qualifying tournament among other college players Monday at Riviera.

Yes, Sahith Theegala has had quite a week.

“I was almost too excited to have expectations,” he said. “I’ve been playing well, but playing well here kind of shocked me.”

Theegala, from Chino Hills and Pepperdine’s No. 1 player, easily made the cut after shooting 67-73 in the first two rounds. He was tied with Mickelson, who has won 42 PGA Tour titles and $82 million more than Theegala.

“The experience of playing with Phil,” Theegala said. “It’s something I’m never going to forget.”

Theegala shot a pair of 71s in the final two rounds. He played even with Mickelson in the third round; Mickelson beat him by two in the fourth.

Asked whether he was measuring himself against Mickelson, he said: “I was doing my own game and admiring Phil. Are you kidding me? Some of the shots he hit today, he’s unbelievable. He’s just as good as everyone says, maybe even better.”

Pepperdine Coach Michael Beard, who was in Theegala’s gallery, has seen Theegala in action for some time.

“He would never tell you this,” Beard said, “but he’s not really on his game today. I think he’s running out of gas.”

Actually, Theegala admitted it. “Well, that’s my PGA Tour experience for a while,” he said. “Yes, I’m tired.”

His teammates were also in his crowd, though they had to leave for a practice round in the afternoon, and so was the Pepperdine women’s team. They came equipped with life-size color photographs of Theegala’s face on sticks as part of their rooting paraphernalia.

“I didn’t know they were going to do that,” Theegala said. “That was pretty cool.

“Having so many people coming out to support me, that meant the world to me…. Some of the cheers that were going on, I loved it.”

Beard understands why Theegala generates that kind of response.

“He’s extremely talented, but more than that, everyone who knows him really likes him and knows he’s special,” he said. “He’s a great kid.”

Theegala, who says he will get his degree from Pepperdine before considering turning pro, was a junior world champion at ages 6, 8 and 10, and at 16 won the L.A. City Championship by eight shots. He reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur last year, and he’ll be among the favorites when the Amateur comes to Riviera in August.

He knows that his experience here will serve him well six months from now.

“Playing Riv in tournament conditions is something that very few people can say they had,” he said.

Next up? Well, he’s got a ton of homework to catch up on.

And Monday, he has a 13-school tournament at the Greg Norman Course in La Quinta. It’s a big event, called the Prestige. Beard was at Riviera to give his top player a ride to the desert.

“I’m actually pumped” [about playing the Prestige], “and pumped to sleep a few hours on the way over there. I’ll be asleep in the car by the 405.”

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