Scottie Scheffler will be aiming to become the first golfer since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to successfully defend The Open title when he tees it up at Royal Birkdale this week. Should the world No.1 retain the Claret Jug he won at Royal Portrush last summer, one man who will be celebrating almost as much as Scheffler will be his long-time caddie, Ted Scott.
Scheffler heads into the year’s final major as the bookmakers’ favourite, just ahead of Rory McIlroy, despite narrowly missing out at both the Masters and US Open earlier this season. Victory would also ensure the American avoids his first campaign without a major title since 2023.
There is far more than history at stake, with another record prize fund on offer at this year’s championship. The R&A has increased the total purse to $17.75million (£13.3m), with the winner taking home a staggering $3.2million (£2.4m) and the crown of Champion Golfer of the Year.
That prospect will equally delight Scott, Scheffler’s trusted right-hand man, who would be entitled to a generous share of the winnings. While the precise terms of their arrangement have never been disclosed publicly, most caddies typically receive around 10 per cent of the winner’s prize money, with smaller percentages awarded for lower finishes on the leaderboard.
Many also receive a fixed salary. That means Scott, who has worked alongside Scheffler since 2021 after previously partnering with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, could pocket a substantial $320,000 (£240,000) if his player successfully defends the title.
Remarkably, Scheffler has acknowledged he barely considers the financial aspect of their arrangement and delegates others to handle it. Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast in 2024, he said: “It’s been a fun year. I don’t really think about the money that much. At the end of the day, I’m just playing golf and the money is just a gift on top of that.
“We have a girl that helps us pay bills because I’m basically a child and can’t keep track of that stuff. 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.'”
According to the PGA Tour, Scheffler has accumulated more than $114m (£85m) in official prize money throughout his career to date, positioning him third on the all-time rankings behind Tiger Woods and McIlroy. Roughly $105m (£78m) of that sum has arrived since Scott assumed responsibility for his bag in late 2021, with Scheffler leading the PGA Tour’s earnings table in each of the four following seasons.