A man approaches Sudarshan Yellamaraju, the breakthrough Canadian on the PGA Tour this season, on the first tee box during Wednesday’s Pro-Am.
Yellamaraju, 24, is set to compete in his second RBC Canadian Open beginning Thursday at TPC Toronto in Caledon, Ont.
The man tells Yellamaraju they played a tournament together years ago. He recalls a specific putt.
Yellamaraju smiles and nods.
He asks for a picture. So do a group of about five others, who are also seeking autographs.
Yellamaraju smiles and nods.
Then he gets to playing. His partners, a group of RBC executives, ask for reads on putts, swing tips and yardages.
Yellamaraju, as appears to be his nature, smiles and nods.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju has taken one of the most improbable routes to the highest level of professional golf.@JosephLaMagna sat down with the PGA Tour rookie ahead of his first Players Championship to learn more about his incredible story. pic.twitter.com/RZw3YIrgo8
This is all new for Yellamaraju, who was born in Visakhapatnam, India, moved to Winnipeg at four years old and then relocated again to Mississauga, Ont., at 11.
He burst onto the scene at The Players Championship on March, where he tied for fifth in his first go-round at the demanding TPC Sawgrass. Then, he proved it wasn’t a fluke with a pair of top-15 finishes in his next two tournaments.
Now, Yellamaraju is the top Canadian in the season-long FedEx Cup standings, sitting 48th, which would earn him a spot in the playoffs.
Cementing his Tour position
What that’s brought is a level of attention the quiet-yet-polite Canadian may not quite be completely comfortable with so far. He’ll play in a premier group with major champion Matt Fitzpatrick and FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland in Rounds 1 and 2 this week.
He declined media Wednesday, an understandable move as he focuses on maintaining his status on the PGA Tour and cementing his spot in the pro game.
Besides, he can let his story do all the talking.
Yellamaraju has never had a swing coach. If you walk across the range, you’ll see every player set up with some sort of swing-tracking device next to their ball — except Yellamaraju. He learned golf through YouTube videos and TV while in Winnipeg, poring over his screens with his father, Suresh.
Of course, the Manitoba capital isn’t exactly the ideal location for golf practice, given its harsh winters. Instead, he sharpened his skills at an indoor facility called Golf Dome. When he was nine, he entered his first tournament and shot 101 in the first round — the only time he’s ever had a score in the triple digits, he told The Fried Egg.
In 2021, Yellamaraju turned pro. He had some college offers, but they weren’t full rides, and he couldn’t afford the tuition. He opted for the pro route, and made his way through the ranks until earning his PGA Tour card last year via the Korn Ferry Tour.
He’s continued to parlay that success on the PGA Tour.
A golf encyclopedia
His caddie, Joel Kraft, calls him a golf encyclopedia, saying he knows most courses better than him through years of watching them on TV. During practice rounds, Kraft said, Yellamaraju will occasionally attempt famous Tiger Woods shots.
The biggest improvement in his game, per Kraft, is his driving. Kraft used to get his steps in having to get yardages from different fairways, but Yellamaraju is now keeping it in the ballpark. His numbers back it up: per stats site Data Golf, the Canadian sits 23rd overall in strokes gained: off the tee.
“He’s really impressive. I love how he goes about his business,” said Canadian PGA Tour veteran Corey Conners. “He’s really focused in on each shot. He hits the ball far, hits it straight, a great putter. There’s really no holes in his game, and I think you’ve seen that. He’s made some great climbs up the leaderboard on the weekend and I’m really proud of him for that. He’s an impressive player and always cheering him on.”
But Yellamaraju arrives at TPC Toronto at a bit of an inflection point. His last three starts have included two missed cuts and a T40. In addition to his PGA Tour status, there’s a major carrot dangling in front of him this fall in the form of the Presidents Cup, where he currently ranks 23rd on the international team list. Only 12 will be selected.
Next week, he’ll compete in just his second major championship at the U.S. Open.
And if this season’s early success was more than a blip, he could also find himself at the Olympics in two year’s time.
Yellamaraju isn’t the only fresh Canadian face on Tour, either. Fellow rookie A.J. Ewart, 27, has enjoyed a solid season himself, making 10 of 14 cuts, including four top-25 finishes.
The Coquitlam, B.C., native has made just under $1 million US for his efforts.
“It’s been a lot of fun to watch,” said Nick Taylor who broke a 69-year drought for Canadians at the national open with his epic playoff victory at Oakdale in 2023. “[Yellamaraju’s and Ewart’s] games are very impressive. … I feel like our contingent keeps growing every year, which is great.”
Taylor, 38, is now part of the old guard, which also includes Conners in his 11th Canadian Open, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin and even Mike Weir. In total, 21 Canadians will tee it up.
Like Yellamaraju, Taylor has put together a decent season, sitting just behind his fellow Canadian at 52nd in the FedEx Cup standings.
Along with the two of them, Conners and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., form the quartet of Canadians set to compete at the U.S. Open at the famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York.
Perhaps, one of them will start that push right here at home.
