2 weeks Ago By Jamie Gordon
Scottie Scheffler has taken home nearly $50million in earnings from the course this year after a sensational season. The world No1 shot 30-under to win the season ending Tour Championship and claim the lucrative FedExCup earlier this month. It was the eighth victory of a year which also saw him claim an Olympic gold medal in Paris and earn a second Green Jacket at The Masters .
Golfers all around the globe are forced to cast an enviable gaze at Scheffler's incredible talent. And it appears that the 28-year-old is a natural at pickleball as well, regularly competing in celebrity events. Former pro turned golf analyst Smylie Kaufman played a game with Scheffler and Sam Burns.
He discussed the contest on The Smylie Show podcast, claiming that the phenom could switch careers if he wanted. “We had golf carts on the court lighting up the court, it’s late," Kaufman said. "And so we get to playing pickleball and I have a good serve, that was something that I was able to hang onto for a little bit, and then I really started to struggle getting returns back.
"It was just mainly because the ball was moving so much, I started to realise that Scottie may be the best pickleball player on tour, and potentially good enough to turn pro. "I don’t say that lightly because he’s the best pickleball player I’ve ever played against." Scheffler's incredible 2024 has given him one huge headache - working out how much to pay his caddie Ted Scott.
A caddie normally takes 10% of their player's victory purse, with the fee decreasing to 5% for a finish outside the top 10. Given that Scheffler is averaging around $2.5million a tournament, he has enlisted some help with the figures.
"We have a girl that helps us pay bills basically because I'm a child and I can't keep track of all that stuff," he told the Pardon My Take podcast. "She quickly took over that job and texts me at the end of each week, saying, 'Hey, this is how much we're paying Ted'. I'm like, 'That's great.
' "I just think the world of him as a person so that was why I was attracted to him just being a potential good partner for me out on the course." Scheffler's 2024 season started with victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and went on to include some of the most prestigious titles on the PGA Tour. As well as a second Masters success in three years, he also won the Players Championship for the second time in his career and added the RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament and Traveler Championship.
A dominant display also won him the Tour Championship for the first time in his career, and with it the $25million prize for claiming the FedEx Cup. It's the first time he has claimed both titles, despite going into the end of season tournament at East Lake in pole position to claim the prize. “I’ve been the Player of the Year for the tour the last two years and I haven’t left with this trophy,” Scheffler said after his victory in Atlanta.
“It definitely I think leaves a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the year, especially when I start with the lead.“.
