Scottie Scheffler and Ted Scott have been a formidable duo since the caddie left Bubba Watson for the two-time Masters champion, but their partnership was close to not happening
One phone call almost stopped Scottie Scheffler from joining with Ted Scott(Image: Keyur Khamar, PGA TOURvia Getty Images)
Scottie Scheffler’s temperament came under scrutiny from caddie Ted Scott before the pair joined forces. The former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year first partnered with Scott, Bubba Watson’s long-serving bagman, in 2021.
Since then, both have flourished, as Scheffler has secured multiple Tour victories and four major championships, including Masters triumphs in 2022 and 2024 under Scott’s stewardship.
The caddie was unavailable for Scheffler’s recent BMW Championship triumph due to personal reasons, forgoing approximately £267,300 in prize money as replacement Michael Cromie celebrated the biggest victory of his professional life.
The partnership remains rock-solid despite this absence, with Scott set to return for the Tour Championship after missing action since the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. However, the Scheffler-Scott collaboration nearly never materialised due to concerns about the golfer’s attitude, though these doubts were swiftly dispelled.
Speaking on Netflix’s Full Swing, Scott revealed his reasoning for parting ways with two-time Masters champion Watson and the reservations he harboured during his initial conversation with Scheffler.
Scott admitted: “I think Bubba and I had spent so much time together, we really weren’t growing anymore. So I was like, ‘I kind of just want to move on and do something else.’
“Basically, a friend of mine approached me and said, ‘You’re about to receive a phone call from a really good player. This guy is really good. Like really good.’
Scheffler has spoken about his agreement with Scott(Image: Getty)
“I had never really met Scottie other than that we played with him in the New Orleans tournament and I saw that he was kind of feisty, you know? That was one of the questions that I asked him when he called me.
“I said, ‘I don’t know if I want to work for you because of your attitude.’ When I posed that question to him, he said, ‘That’s a fair question and I’m willing to work on it.’ All I need is a little bit of hope and I’m willing to get behind anybody. So I decided to take the job and here we are.”
Scheffler also featured on the programme and spoke about his temperamental nature that has since been tamed, revealing: “I used to fight anger issues. I used to get too frustrated. Golf was too important to me. That’s kind of where I placed my identity for a long time. I try not to change too much but I needed to change something.”
Michael Cromie was by Scheffler’s side at the BMW Championship (Image: Getty)
Scott’s gamble on Scheffler has proved rewarding for both parties, with their bond clearly evident at the BMW Championship. Following his victory at the event, the world No. 1 delivered an emotional tribute, confessing his thoughts are with Scott and his loved ones.
He said: “Ted is at home with his family, and he’s where he’s supposed to be. We are praying for them; his family is doing alright. Cromie did a great job this week.
“It’s not easy stepping in and trying to fill in for Ted. Those are some big shoes to fill. But he did a great job. Him and Ted are good buddies, really glad to have him on the bag this week. It was a lot of fun.”
