Scottie Scheffler heads into the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship Sunday without longtime caddie Ted Scott, who returned home unexpectedly for a family matter, according to the PGA Tour. In his place, Brad Payne — a PGA Tour chaplain who previously filled in for Scheffler during the third round of the 2024 PGA Championship — will carry the bag.
Payne stepped in last year following Scheffler’s unexpected arrest outside Valhalla and is a trusted friend and mentor to the reigning FedExCup champion.
Scott has been with Scheffler since late 2021 and has been on the bag for all 17 of Scheffler’s PGA Tour victories, making their partnership one of the most successful in recent golf history. The sudden absence of Scott marks a rare change for Scheffler, especially heading into the final round while sitting two shots behind leader Tommy Fleetwood.
Despite the change, Payne’s experience and familiarity with Scheffler’s game should provide steady support during the closing round. Scheffler aims for his fifth victory of the season at TPC Southwind and will tee off Sunday at 12:30 p.m. local time alongside current U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, looking to close the gap on the leaderboard and secure another strong finish.