Scottie Scheffler chasing back-to-back majors and fifth win of 2024; Scheffler will use PGA Tour chaplain Brad Payne as caddie for third round in place of Ted Scott; world No 1 makes first start since birth of son; watch the PGA Championship live on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf
Thursday 16 May 2024 12:11, UK
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler insists he is not getting carried away about the possibility of adding to his major tally this week at the PGA Championship, where he will be without regular caddie Ted Scott for part of the tournament.
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Scheffler has been the dominant force in golf over the past two seasons and has won 10 times on the PGA Tour since 2022, with a title defence at The Players and a second Masters success among four victories in his last five starts.
The pre-tournament favourite can become the first player since Jordan Spieth to win the first two majors of the calendar year and sees his impressive form continued to be likened to Tiger Woods at his peak, although Scheffler is keen to avoid those comparisons and focus on the present.
"I think it's pretty easy and I don't really try to look that far ahead," Scheffler said. "If I listen to the narratives around myself, if it was two months ago it would probably look significantly different than it does now.
"I'm sure that wasn't a conversation you [the media] were having two months ago and all of a sudden now it's like, 'he's going to win this many tournaments or do that and do this'. I don't really pay attention to it and I don't really care about it.
"I'm trying to do the best I can out there each and every week, and as far as anything else, I'm not really too concerned with it. I may win a lot of major championships, I may be stuck at two the rest of my career. It doesn't really concern me in the moment."
Scheffler has not competed since winning the RBC Heritage title the week after claiming a second Green Jacket in three years at Augusta National, sitting out of Rory McIlroy's win at the Wells Fargo Championship due to the birth of his first child.
His participation in the second major of the year was in doubt until his wife Meredith gave birth to son Bennett last week, but Scheffler believes he is still well prepared to challenge for victory at Valhalla.
"I was able to practise and play plenty at home," Scheffler added. "Obviously the last week was a bit different with our son coming. But I would say three weeks is probably a bit of a longer break than I would usually take.
"I'm definitely rested going into this week for sure. I don't really feel like any rust has accumulated.
"I'm able to do stuff at home to simulate tournament golf, especially on the greens, competing and gambling with my buddies. I don't really want to lose to them, either, so I was able to simulate a little bit of competition at home.
"I told my son as I was leaving, I was like, I don't want to leave you right now, but I need to. I'm called to do my job to the best of my ability, and I felt like showing up Wednesday night wouldn't really be doing myself a service this week when it comes to playing and competing."
Scheffler revealed in his pre-tournament press conference that, assuming he makes the halfway cut in the year's second major, he will be without regular caddie Ted Scott for the third round.
Scott's daughter is graduating high school this week and Scheffler said: "Teddy is going home Friday night, coming back Saturday evening after the graduation.
"That's something we talked about from the beginning of our relationship was family always comes first, and it's the same thing for me as it is for my caddie. It was a pretty easy decision.
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"He told me at the beginning of this year that that was the date that it was, so I got a back-up caddie lined up. One of my buddies [Brad Payne] is going to carry the bag on Saturday, and then Ted will be back for Sunday's round.
"It's one of my older friends who travels week to week out here. He's the PGA Tour chaplain. His name is Brad and he's caddying for me on Saturday. I trust him to rake a bunker more than my buddies."
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