Soon after Ted Scott started in his role as caddie for Scottie Scheffler, the Texan ended his run as the most acclaimed young PGA Tour player yet to win a title.
When Scott and Scheffler went through a trial run at the RSM Classic in November of 2021, Scheffler shot 63 in the first round.
“Literally, I had nothing to do with it,” Scott said at the time. “The next day was like the hardest day caddying in my life. I don’t know his game and 25-mile-per-hour winds. It was wild. He handled it with such maturity. I learned a lot about him.”
Scheffler then finished second at the Hero World Challenge in December, and in just their fifth tournament together, at the WM Phoenix Open, as Scheffler rallied on the back nine and outlasted Patrick Cantlay to claim his first PGA Tour title.
His run has been nothing short of incredible ever since, with 13 PGA Tour wins, including a pair of Masters green jackets.
Since Scott seemed so instrumental in getting Scheffler across the victory finish line, it only seemed natural his influence could help the Buffalo Bills, who have enjoyed another impressive winning stretch under quarterback Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott. The Bills have won the AFC East in each of the last four seasons, winning a first-round playoff game each year, but have failed to reach the Super Bowl since 1993.
McDermott spent time with Scott over the summer, talking about the nuances of sports psychology. Scott explained that when Scheffler started to keep things simple, eliminating major mistakes, he started to see greater success.
Soon after, McDermott passed the message along to Allen.
This week, the Bills face a home test against division rival Miami, and Scott took the opportunity to come up to practice, meet with the team, and he plans to stick around for Sunday’s contest.
A special guest visiting the Bills this weekend in Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie. He became connected with the Bills through Keon Coleman and Hope for Opelousas, an after school program for kids in Opelousas, LA, where Scott lives and Coleman is from. pic.twitter.com/gsTMJnkMqa
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) November 1, 2024
Scott even spoke to the team on Friday.
Scheffler’s incredible success has proved a financial windfall for Scott. Although all caddies may be paid slightly differently depending on their relationship with a player, the normal scale is as follows: 10 percent of winnings if a caddie’s player wins, seven percent for a top 10 and five percent for making the cut.
Scott is assumed to have brought in around $5 million this season, a stat that would put him in the top 25 of all PGA Tour players.
Of course, Allen has a few dollars in his bank account, as well. The quarterback signed a six-year, $258 million contract extension in 2021, which now seems like a bargain. The University of Wyoming product has a 69-32 record as the Bills starter.
Scottie Scheffler PGA Tour wins and earnings
| Event | Date | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| WM Phoenix Open | February 13, 2022 | $1,476,000 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | March 6, 2022 | $2,160,000 |
| WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play | March 27, 2022 | $2,100,000 |
| Masters Tournament | April 10, 2022 | $2,700,000 |
| WM Phoenix Open | February 12, 2023 | $3,600,000 |
| The Players Championship | March 12, 2023 | $4,500,000 |
| RBC Heritage | April 16, 2023 | $3,600,000 |
| Memorial Tournament | June 4, 2023 | $4,000,000 |
| Travelers Championship | June 25, 2023 | $3,600,000 |
| The Players Championship | March 17, 2024 | $4,500,000 |
| Masters Tournament | April 14, 2024 | $3,600,000 |
| Tour Championship | August 25, 2024 | $25,000,000 |