The fiancée of PGA Tour star Sahith Theegala is pushing back after an ESPN anchor publicly described what he called an uncomfortable encounter during tournament week, saying his account is inaccurate and has fueled unnecessary online criticism.
The exchange began after SportsCenter anchor Gary Striewski recounted meeting Theegala and his fiancée, Juju Chan, at a coffee shop in Connecticut during the Travelers Championship. Theegala finished tied for 51st at seven-under-par in the event, but the attention quickly shifted away from golf after Striewski shared his story on social media.
According to Striewski, he recognized both Theegala and Chan while they were in the coffee shop. As Theegala stepped away to order drinks, Striewski said he found himself seated next to Chan and decided to start a conversation. He claimed he leaned over and asked, “Has anyone spotted you yet?”
Striewski said Chan responded, “I guess now?” He described her reaction as dismissive and said he immediately ended the conversation, turning back around without saying anything else.
Chan Disputes ESPN Anchor’s Account
Later, while discussing the encounter, Striewski argued that public recognition comes with maintaining a large online presence. He noted that Chan regularly posts content on social media and has built a significant following on TikTok, suggesting that being recognized in public is simply “part of the territory.”
He also pointed out that someone in the same coffee shop recognized him a short time later and was happy to chat with him.
Chan, however, strongly disputed that account. In a TikTok video responding to the ESPN anchor’s comments, she said the interaction was not accurately portrayed. “The interaction that he’s explaining did not happen the way he’s saying it did,” Chan said. “He’s continuing to let people believe a false narrative.”
Chan explained that she did not know who Striewski was when he approached her. She also questioned his choice of opening the conversation by asking whether anyone had recognized her. “I was uncomfortable with the comment, but I was also trying to laugh it off,” she said.
Sahith Theegala Publicly Defends His Fiancée
She added that she believes Striewski’s public discussion of the encounter crossed a professional line, particularly because of his position as a television personality.
“If he perceived our interaction that way, I’m sorry. But that’s not how it went down,” Chan said. “I think it’s extremely unprofessional given the line of work he’s in. To encourage people to hate on me, that’s uncool.”
Theegala publicly backed his fiancée in the comments section of her post, offering a message of support. “That guy should have never put you in a position like this… I love you so much, and I’m incredibly proud of how you’ve handled it, my queen,” Theegala wrote. “I see how kind and caring you are to all that interact with you, and the people close to us know your real, incredible self.”
Follow-Up Post Draws More Criticism
Rather than letting the controversy fade, Striewski later published another post explaining why he had chosen to speak to Chan rather than approach Theegala, the PGA Tour player.
He said he intentionally addressed Chan because he believes the spouses and partners of professional athletes are often overlooked during public interactions.
Despite the growing backlash, Striewski did not issue an apology or retract his original account. The follow-up post generated additional criticism on social media, with many users arguing that his explanation only made the situation more awkward. Others questioned whether the brief interaction should have been shared publicly at all, particularly after Chan stated that the encounter had been misrepresented.
The disagreement has since spread across social media, with supporters of both Chan and Striewski debating whether the conversation was an innocent misunderstanding or an unnecessary public dispute sparked by conflicting recollections of a brief exchange in a Connecticut coffee shop.
