Missing out on golf’s biggest stages would hit hard for most pros.
Competing in the majors is the ultimate goal for so many young golfers, and players battle all over the globe just to earn a spot. But as of now, Sahith Theegala hasn’t locked in a place at any major championships in 2026.
Last year was tough, with injuries forcing him to pull out of several big events, including the PGA Championship and the US Open. The time he missed and his form during 2025 meant he hasn’t yet met the qualification standards for this season’s majors.
Now sitting 125th in the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s got work to do just to keep his spot on Tour. Still, Theegala says he’s feeling refreshed and ready for what comes next.
Sahith Theegala upbeat about not qualifying for the majors
Theegala kicked off his comeback at the Sony Open. After a tough opening round, he bounced back with a 66 on Friday to make the cut. He has also announced plans to play in the Cognizant Classic for the first time this year and says he’s looking forward to it.
“Actually, it’s one of the few tournaments on tour I’ve never played,” Theegala said. “I like to play a lot of golf, and yeah, this year it’s a little bit of a different circumstance. I’m not in any of the elevateds or the majors either.
“Definitely need to play everything that I’m in. I love it. I love it. I feel like it’s not too different from my normal schedule,” he added. “Just with the flow of things, I’m not in Pebble or Riv right now, so if I don’t get into those, play my way in, I’ll have a couple weeks off, so I figured it’s great to start back up in the Florida Swing.”
He went on to say: “Again, I’m not in Bay Hill. I’m actually not in The Players either. So got to get every point that I can get. I feel like I’m a rookie on tour again, and it’s kind of a good reset in a way.”
Speaking about one particular event coming up later this season he said: “I only hear stories and see scores and watched growing up as an absolute beast [PGA National], so excited to tackle that one this year for sure.”
It is certainly refreshing to see him come into 2026 looking at things positively and believing that if he can stay healthy all year long his game will take care of itself.
Sahith Theegala still has time to qualify for the 2026 majors
Although Sahith Theegala hasn’t yet qualified for any of the 2026 major championships, there are still several ways he can play his way into those fields.
The most straightforward route is to win a PGA Tour event, and he’ll have multiple chances to do so. A victory before April 5, 2026, would earn him an invitation to the Masters, while a win before May 10 would secure his spot in the PGA Championship.
He could also climb the OWGR with strong results. A few top-five or top-10 finishes could push him back inside the world’s top 50, which would get him into multiple majors. For instance, he needs to be in the top 50 by March 30th to qualify for The Masters.
Theegala can also take advantage of final qualifying events. For example, he can enter US Open Final Qualifying in June without having to play local rounds because of his professional status.
And for The Open Championship, certain PGA Tour stops like the Arnold Palmer Invitational or Memorial often serve as Qualifying Series events where top finishers not already exempt can earn spots.
There are still paths available for Theegala. If he finds some early form this season, there’s every chance we see him playing in major championships again later this year.
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