NEWTON SQUARE, PA. — For a guy playing his first major in his first year on the PGA Tour, Sudarshan Yellamaraju seems very much at ease. The 24-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., was one of the last players to get into the year’s PGA Championship and he’s making the most of the opportunity.
On Wednesday, he was scoping out the front nine at Aronimink Golf Club, building his game plan for the Thursday start. He did the same with the back nine on Tuesday. It’s pretty much what he does every week on the PGA Tour, trying his best to learn the intricacies of the layout.
“It’s pretty cool,” he said, standing on the back of the 18th green. “What I’ve always wanted to do is play in the major championships, play the best tournaments, but I’m just treating it like any other tournament. I’m just going to go play golf, that’s all.”
Yellamaraju has been one of the great golf stories of 2026, highlighted by his fifth-place finish at the Players Championship. His background story has been told and retold often because it’s almost unbelievable.
Born in India, moved to Winnipeg, then Mississauga, Ont. Started golfing with plastic clubs in a park, advanced to a real set and learned how to play by watching videos of Tiger Woods on YouTube. He rose quickly through the amateur program, winning the Ontario Amateur at 16. He spent some time on Golf Canada’s national team. He turned professional at 19 and went quickly from the Americas Tour to the Korn Ferry Tour to, this year, the PGA Tour.
So far, he’s been more than a little impressive. He’s missed just one cut in 13 starts and is the top Canadian on the FedEx Cup standings, sitting in 38th position. He is close to locking up his tour card for next season, which was his goal at the start of the year, and he’s earned a cool $2,185,877. That doesn’t include the funds coming from companies that have chosen to sponsor the young phenom.
He’s also garnered a large section of Canadian golf fans, both at home and at tour stops, who have taken to the new star. A group of fans from the Montreal area was cheering him on during his practice round on Wednesday. He admitted that he is still getting used to being a sports celebrity.
“I’m just trying to do my thing and if I’m able to inspire people, that’s great,” he said. “I’m just trying to play the best golf that I can.”
His play has also impressed his fellow Canadians on tour, who have watched his game up close. Last week, he played alongside Corey Conners for their final round at the Truist Championship, bettering Conners by two shots.
“It’s awesome to see the success he’s been having,” said Conners. “I really admire the way he goes about his business. He’s got a fantastic game.”
Other Canadian players have been equally impressed with Yellamaraju’s talents.
“It’s been fun to watch,” said Nick Taylor. “He’s obviously played well in some big tournaments. I think what’s impressed me most is that he’s got off to some rough starts and really battled back and made cuts and had good finishes.”
“He bombs it,” said Taylor Pendrith, “Hits his irons great and putts well, good short game...he’s got it all.”
Yellamaraju has played a heavy load so far this season with this tournament marking his 14th start. It’s also his fifth consecutive week on tour, a result of being a last-minute addition to the two-player team event at the Zurich Classic and getting into some of the tour’s limited-field, big-money signature events. But it hasn’t seemed to affect his game or his attitude.
“If I’m feeling a little bit stressed or feeling a bit down,” he said, “I just think that I’m out here, playing these tournaments, and it helps me feel better.”
Playing in a major is an achievement, especially for a rookie, but Yellamaraju says he’s going to approach the week as he would any other. So far, he’s shown a good capacity to focus on the task at hand and not worry about what’s going on around him, other than to softly acknowledge applause for a good shot. That will be even more difficult at a major where the course is tougher and the crowds are larger.
“I’m just going to try, depending on the pins and the wind, the same usual stuff as any other week,” he said of his game plan. “We just go and figure it out on the day, and that’s all we can do.”
Possibly the most impressive part about Yellamaraju’s tremendous start on the highest level of golf, is that he has remained grounded and focused on his game. He hasn’t let his success change him.
“I’m just trying to be me,” he said. “That’s it.”
So far, that’s paying off.
