Scottie Scheffler did not have his usual caddie Ted Scott on his bag for the FedEx St. Jude Championship’s final round after referring to himself “as a child” regarding their relationship.

Scheffler recently referred to himself as “a child” when it comes to money and has an assistant to manage his finances, including paying his caddie Scott. He has also admitted he is concerned about “draining” himself too much after competing in several high-profile events with the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup on the horizon.

Heading into the final round at TPC Southwind, Scheffler will start the final round at 12-under, just two shots behind leader Tommy Fleetwood and one stroke behind Justin Rose. He was partnered with current U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, with Scheffler chasing a fifth victory of the season.

However, as he looks to deny Fleetwood a first PGA Tour victory, Scheffler will not have Scott on his bag. Scott was forced to return home unexpectedly for a private family matter, so the world No. 1 has turned to a familiar face for the final 18 holes.

Brad Payne will be on his bag. Payne also caddied for Scheffler during last year’s PGA Championship, which was won by Xander Schauffele, when Scott returned home for the high-school graduation of one of his children.

With Payne on his bag, Scheffler shot 73. It was an infamous tournament for the American; he was unexpectedly arrested while entering Valhalla, eventually finishing tied-eighth.

Payne serves as a chaplain to PGA Tour players through his role with College Golf Fellowship, and his friendship with Scheffler is linked to his home in Dallas. He has caddied for multiple players on the PGA Tour, including Paul Stankowski. He also enjoyed a fine playing career in which he tallied three top-three finishes in the West Coast Conference Men’s Golf Championship from 1989 to 1991.

Remember when golf was all about hushed voices and raised hands signaling for silence? That tradition is fading fast. Leading the charge is TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole, where over 20,000 fans turn golf into a spectacle that challenges the sport’s long-standing “quiet, please” mantra.

This shift has paved the way for innovative formats like TGL, the tech-driven league spearheaded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, which thrives on crowd energy in an arena setting. But not everyone is on board. Rickie Fowler, after testing the format, dismissed it as “a glorified man cave” and claimed, “it is not real golf.” His remarks sparked debate about the future of golf as both sport and entertainment.

Min Woo Lee Defends TGL’s Atmosphere, Drawing Parallels to WMPO
Fresh off The Bay Golf Club’s victory over Atlanta Drive GC at the SoFi Center, Min Woo Lee directly addressed the energy of TGL’s setting. When asked about handling distractions like music, lights, and crowd noise, he welcomed the challenge with confidence. “Yeah, there was a bit of call-outs, but it was funny—the one call-out I remember is the one I chipped in on. So whatever. Do it,” he said.

Lee sees TGL’s environment as a natural extension of modern golf, drawing comparisons to the electric atmosphere at TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole. “It’s the same vibe, especially on 16 at the stadium hole. There’s going to be noise, and you’ve just got to expect it the whole week,” he explained. His words carry weight—the 16th has transformed from a modest five skyboxes in 1992 into a three-story coliseum where cheers reach deafening levels, especially during unforgettable moments like Tiger Woods’ legendary 1997 hole-in-one that sparked the iconic “beer shower” tradition.

TGL: Redefining Golf’s Audience Experience
For Lee, adjusting to TGL’s environment wasn’t a challenge—it felt like a natural evolution. “You know the sound is there. You know someone is going to make a sound. You’re kind of expecting it,” he noted, referring to TGL’s 1,500-seat SoFi Center. Since its January 2025 debut, every match has sold out, creating an atmosphere more reminiscent of an NBA game than a traditional golf tournament.

Unlike traditional tour events where fans are spread across 18 holes, TGL compacts its audience into a single arena, amplifying every cheer, jeer, and moment of drama. The league has already proven its entertainment value, drawing nearly a million viewers in its opening week—surpassing NBA games and LIV Golf broadcasts in ratings. Even Tiger Woods’ TGL debut pulled in over 1.005 million viewers, underscoring the format’s growing appeal.

As golf continues evolving, TGL isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving. And as Min Woo Lee suggests, maybe it’s time to embrace the noise.