Scheffler turns to fill-in when caddie leaves for family emergency

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has turned to a tour chaplain as his caddie Sunday for the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship when Ted Scott had to leave due to a family emergency at home in Louisiana.

Scheffler began the final round two shots out of the lead.

Brad Payne, a chaplain to several PGA Tour players as president of the College Golf Fellowship, is a close friend of the world's No. 1 player and has been in this spot before.

Scheffler turned to him as a fill-in caddie for the third round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla because Scott's daughter was graduating. That turned out to be the day after Scheffler was arrested for not following police instructions during a traffic fatality investigation.

Scheffler fell out of contention with a 73 that day, which he later attributed to adrenaline wearing him from one of the more bizarre episodes at a major — the Masters champion was arrested, booked into jail, released and made it back to Valhalla in time for his tee time and then shot 66. The charges were later dismissed.

The PGA Tour did not disclose what led Scott to leave Memphis for Louisiana after the third round.