Albany, Bahamas: There is a strong Indian streak running through the 2024 Hero World Challenge, which has seen Indian participation only once in its history.
The three, Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai, who are among the eighth debutants at this year’s HWC, were quite excited by their Indian side and the fan support they have received in the US, Britain and in India. And they were all very emphatic about the family support that helped them reach the biggest platform in world golf – the PGA Tour.
While Sahith, who turned 27 on Wednesday has been to India a few times; Rai has played in India and Bhatia, whose mother is currently in India for a family wedding, is hoping to get there soon.
Rai said, “Half of my upbringing is very British, but again all of my close family is Indian origin. That culture runs very deep even in British Asians. Certainly this year has felt different for me even being in the U.K. with kind of British Asian kids and families taking more of an interest in following a couple of events that I played in Europe which really felt quite different.
“It’s amazing and hopefully all three of us set good examples. I think that’s all we can do. Whatever effect that it has is something that we can’t control, but I think if we keep playing well on the course and keep holding ourselves the right way away from the course, then hopefully it’s only going to create positivity.”
Bhatia added, “Obviously I think all of us being fairly young and relatively new to the Tour, just to be able to grow the game and inspire kids and inspire athletes in the U.S. and in India is pretty amazing.
“I’m hoping to get there really soon, go to India. My mom’s at a wedding this week there. Either had to spend three days at a wedding there or come here. It’s such a blessing for us that we just play golf, but yeah, we can inspire kids who want to be like us one day.”
Theegala, whose mother Karuna and Dad, Murali, were watching the media get-together, was very excited as he said, “I love my Indian culture and heritage. I was just in India a few weeks (three) ago. Just all the positive feedback and all the love I get from there is incredible. It’s the first time I’ve been back since I’ve turned professional. It’s awesome.”
“This year’s been eye opening. A lot of Indian kids and minorities in general have come up and stated that they play golf because of me or they play sports because of me, and I never would have thought that. It’s just been awesome.”
“It’s been awesome to be able to represent both sides because I was born and brought up in California, in LA, and I’m proud of that, but I love — my whole family’s Indian and I love the culture and love the heritage and love that I can be a representative for them as well.”
The trio also feels strongly about the family support they have had.
Bhatia said, “Yeah, family’s everything, especially in our culture. We support everyone. But when you’re an athlete and you have people sacrificing everything for you, putting all their effort toward you to hope to be successful, it’s a big — you know, it’s a big thing because, you know, this life’s not easy. Life’s never easy, but when you have family you can come back to that no matter what love, support you, you know, it’s a huge impact on how we are as people and how we are as athletes. So it is — it’s so important, you never take it for granted, especially realizing how much they did for you even though you could be a knucklehead from time to time.”
Theegala, one of the most articulate players on the Tour, added, “I’ve been lucky enough to meet Akshay’s parents and Aaron’s parents. They’re some of the greatest people I met and completely checks out with the kind of people these guys are.
“I have the greatest set of parents as well. It was a tough balance. I give them all the credit in the world because I don’t know how they did it, you know, growing up in India and then trying to balance the academic, the cultural, the new society, new life they live in California. They were able to balance it out so well with me and my brother, giving me not only athletic opportunities but instilling academic importance. A lot of that was my mom, for sure. My dad took care of a lot of the sports side. Practices, both of them. I would be nowhere without them, and my brother as well.”
Rai, soft-spoken and rather intense, added, “I think family support is probably the biggest part of the journey to get to this point.
“I was extremely fortunate with my dad, he was very good at tennis but then put a lot into my golf from a young age. My mom worked a couple of jobs and kind of took care of the house stuff. So they worked together amazingly as a team. My siblings were amazing growing up as well.”
Showing great camaraderie, the three posed for pictures together and Theegala shared the cake his family had brought to mark his birthday.
The next four days, the friends will compete for the silverware at their idol, Tiger Woods’ tournament, the Hero World Challenge.
