Getty Scottie Scheffler's caddie Ted Scott will be temporarily replaced by Brad Payne during the PGA Championship.
To add to the chaos during the PGA Championship, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie will be new for the third round as Brad Payne temporarily takes the bag for Ted Scott. Scheffler’s longtime caddie will be attending his daughter’s high school graduation on Saturday, May 18, 2024, but Scott is expected to return for the final round of the PGA Championship.
Brad Payne will be Scheffler’s caddie during the third round. Payne is a chaplain on the PGA Tour, sharing Scheffler’s Christian faith that the golfer has been vocal about during his career. Scheffler revealed that this temporary switch has been planned for a while.
“It’s one of my older friends who travels week to week out here as the tour chaplain,” Scheffler explained during a May 15, 2024 press conference. “His name is Brad, and he’s caddying for me on Saturday. I trust him to rake a bunker more than my buddies.”
Scottie Scheffler’s Caddie Ted Scott Is Expected Back for the Final Round of the PGA Championship
It sounds like Payne’s role as Scheffler’s caddie will be a one-day gig. Scheffler noted that Scott is planning to be back on the bag for the final round on Sunday.
“Teddy’s going home Friday night, coming back Saturday evening after the graduation or probably Saturday late night,” Scheffler said. “I’m sure they’ll do a little celebration after. But that’s something that we talked about from the beginning of our relationship was family always comes first.
“And that’s the same thing for me as it is for my caddie, and so it was [a] pretty easy decision. He told me at the beginning this year that that was the date that it was, and so I got a backup caddie lined up. One of my buddies is going to carry the bag on Saturday, and then Ted will be back for Sunday’s round.”
Scottie Scheffler & Caddies Brad Payne, Ted Scott Share Christian Faith
Both of Scheffler’s caddies during the PGA Championship share a connection to the golfer’s Christian faith. According to Golfweek’s Adam Schupak, Scheffler met Scott at a Bible study.
“He called me up and said, ‘I really want to work with a Christian.’ That’s how I try to live my life,” Scott told Schupak for a February 15, 2022 feature titled, “How Scottie Scheffler convinced Ted Scott to caddie for him and why it paid quick dividends in Phoenix.” “The other thing he said was, ‘I really like competing.’ I said, ‘I like competing.’ Thought it could be a fun thing. We hashed out the details.”
Payne not only is a chaplain but has previous experience as a caddie. Scheffler’s month has included the birth of he and his wife Meredith Scheffler’s first child, a three-week layoff and a brief May 17 arrest ahead of round two at the PGA Championship. The golfer has still managed to play incredible golf despite all the variables.
“Scheffler’s close friend Brad Payne will carry the bag on Saturday,” PGA Tour’s Paul Hodowanic wrote in a May 14 story titled, “Scottie Scheffler to have fill-in caddie Saturday while Ted Scott attends daughter’s graduation.” “Payne previously caddied for Paul Stankowski and remains a regular presence on the PGA TOUR as a chaplain. Payne played college golf at Pepperdine.”
How Much Money Does a PGA Tour Caddie Make?
PGA Tour caddies’ earnings are not made public, but there are some general parameters that we know. Like the golfers, the caddie’s earnings depend on the final leaderboard.
Given Scheffler’s recent success, it is safe to say Scott is earning good money on the PGA Tour. Caddies typically are responsible for their own weekly travel expenses during each tournament.
“One part is a weekly wage between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on the caddie’s experience, the Association of Professional Caddies and the Caddies Network told CBS MoneyWatch,” CBS’ Khristopher J. Brooks wrote in an April 11 article titled, “How much do caddies make at the Masters? Here’s how their pay at the PGA tournament works.” “The weekly wage helps caddies recoup financially because they’re required to pay their own travel to Georgia, along with hotel and food while working the tournament.
“Caddies also get a percentage of whatever their player earns after the tournament ends. The caddie of the Master’s winner will get 10% of the prize money. For context, Jon Rahm won the Masters’ [in 2023] and got $3.24 million.”