Golf fans are used to seeing Ted Scott as the steady shadow behind Scottie Scheffler. He’s the guy whispering yardages, calming the nerves of the world number one, and, honestly, cashing some of the biggest checks any caddie has ever seen. But back in August 2025, the bag was suddenly empty. One minute he’s at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, and the next, he’s gone.
The internet did what the internet does—it started speculating. Was it a health scare? A fallout? People were confused because Scottie is such a creature of habit. If Ted isn't there, something is seriously wrong.
The Devastating "Sunday Sermon" Revelation
For a few weeks, the golf world was mostly in the dark. Scottie kept things close to the vest, saying Ted was where he "needed to be." But eventually, Ted Scott took to his own Instagram—his "Sunday Sermon" series—to pull back the curtain.
It wasn't a minor thing. He described it as a "devastating family emergency" and, quite bluntly, the hardest thing he’s ever had to walk through.
The core of the emergency involved his nephew, Joel. While Ted didn't release every gruesome medical detail (and honestly, why should he?), he confirmed that Joel had suffered a serious injury. The situation was so heavy that the PGA Tour community actually rallied together in a way you don't always see. At the Tour Championship at East Lake, you might have noticed players like Tommy Fleetwood and Scheffler himself wearing bright neon yellow ribbons. Those weren't for a sponsor. They were for Joel.
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Why the sudden departure?
Ted left Memphis right after the third round. Think about that pressure. Scheffler was in the hunt for a massive title, and his right-hand man had to vanish overnight. He flew back to Louisiana immediately.
When your family is grieving and someone is seriously hurt, golf yardages don't matter. Ted’s own words hit home for anyone who has dealt with a crisis: "I'm helpless, but I'm not hopeless."
Clearing up the graduation confusion
There is a lot of "bad data" floating around out there because people mix up 2024 and 2025 events. If you’re looking for why Ted Scott left a tournament to go home, you might find articles about a high school graduation.
That was a different story.
Back in May 2024, during the PGA Championship at Valhalla—the infamous week where Scottie got arrested in the rain—Ted actually left for a day to attend his daughter’s graduation. That was planned. This 2025 emergency? Total blindside.
Who filled the shoes?
You can’t just grab a random guy off the street to caddie for the best player on the planet. When Ted left Memphis, Brad Payne stepped in. Brad is the PGA Tour chaplain and a close friend of Scottie’s. He’s the "relief pitcher" they always call.
But as the emergency stretched into the next week at the BMW Championship, they needed a pro looper. They tapped Michael Cromie, who usually works for Chris Kirk. It was a weird vibe for fans, seeing Scottie talking through shots with someone else, but it showed just how serious things were back in Louisiana.
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The emotional toll on the bag
Being a caddie at this level is basically being a psychologist who carries 50 pounds. Ted has talked openly about how he nearly retired after working with Bubba Watson for 15 years. He only took the job with Scottie after his family "prayed on it" for a week.
That’s why this emergency resonated so much. Ted is a "family first" guy through and through.
The fact that he returned for the Tour Championship was a huge relief for the camp. It meant Joel was stable enough for Ted to breathe again. Seeing the yellow ribbons on the hats of the world’s best golfers was a pretty loud statement about how much the tour respects Ted.
What we can learn from how they handled it
In a world where everyone wants "the scoop," the Scheffler/Scott duo handled this with a lot of class.
- Privacy first: They didn't live-tweet the tragedy. They handled the business, got Ted home, and let the healing happen away from the cameras.
- Support systems matter: Scottie didn't complain about losing his edge; he told the media that caddying was the "last thing on Ted's mind, as it should be."
- Community power: The yellow ribbon movement showed that even in a cutthroat individual sport, these guys are a traveling circus that looks out for its own.
Honestly, it’s a reminder that these guys are human. We see them making birdies for millions of dollars, but they’re one phone call away from a life-changing crisis just like the rest of us.
If you're following the PGA Tour this season, keep an eye on how the team dynamic looks now. Ted seems back in his groove, but you can tell the experience changed his perspective on the game.
Next Steps for Golf Fans:
Keep an eye on the "Sunday Sermon" videos on Ted Scott’s social media if you want the most authentic updates. He’s one of the few guys on tour who actually talks to the fans like a real person rather than a PR machine. If you’re looking to improve your own mental game, watching how Scottie stayed composed while his primary support system was in crisis is a masterclass in focus.