Scottie Scheffler’s Caddie Opens Up on Personal Tragedy That Forced Him To Leave Golfer Mid-Event

During the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, Scottie Scheffler‘s caddie had to leave mid-tournament. The reason given was a family emergency. Now, eight months ago, we know exactly what happened.

“So, when it happened, the day it happened, early that morning, I got a phone call, and my sister is panicked, of course, saying, ‘Joel’s been shot.’ And I’m running through the house just like screaming, ‘No,’ and getting my stuff together, and we rush to the hospital,” Melanie told Golf.com.

Joel was 11 at the time, and he got shot in the back of his head following a scuffle in a pickup basketball game. The bullet went through Joel’s spine, damaging his first two cervical vertebrae. It resulted in loss of function below his neck and also damaged his diaphragm and compromised his breathing. But the medical staff saved him through a tracheostomy, and now he breathes through a tracheostomy tube.

“He’s paralyzed from the neck down,” Melanie continued, “But thank God he’s the same wonderful kid. We consider him to be part of us, our family, as well as, of course, with his mom, too.” 

Joel can still speak and has started physiotherapy. His condition has been improving, and he can now move out of his home, assisted with a wheelchair. With ‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ entertaining him through a massive screen, Joel remains in good spirits. However, he might not be able to become his former self, physically.

In a recent GOLF profile, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, unveiled the tragic circumstances that led to him leaving the FedEx St. Jude last season and the challenges his family has dealt with at home. pic.twitter.com/PpmT7ue7lR

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) April 5, 2026

Since Scott was working that day (on August 9, 2025), Melanie called Meredith. She wanted Scott to know about his nephew. But when Meredith proposed getting the caddie right away, Melanie stopped her and tried to sort things out. And soon after Scheffler finished the third round, the officials let Scott know of the emergency at home and arranged a flight for him.

This left Scheffler to finish the tournament with a fill-in caddie, Brad Payne. The #1 finished third then. He had previously stepped in during the 2024 PGA Championship. Scheffler later paired with Michael Cromie, another of Scott’s trusted friends.

To most fans, Ted Scott is best known for his success alongside Scottie Scheffler, helping guide the World No. 1 to multiple major victories, including Masters triumphs. But this moment highlights a deeper reality. It transcends leaderboards and trophies. Scott didn’t just return home as an uncle. He returned as a caregiver, a source of strength, and a key player in Joel’s recovery journey.

The incident didn’t just come as a trauma for Scott and his family. It also came with a lesson and a closer encounter with his faith.

Ted Scott is a believer, just like Scottie Scheffler

As the conversation continued, Scott admitted that life is tough. People need to be strong to hold up during such tragedies. And for Ted Scott, that strength comes from faith. He still has problems, but it has also taught him a lot as a person.

He said, “I’m not strong enough to hold this up, this burden, for watching my family fall apart emotionally over this. And being the leader of the house, going, “Whoa! What do I do?’ And the only thing I did was cry out to God. And I’m starting to see him change the hearts of those people, knowing that there’s nothing I can do in that situation to change them.”

“Only God can give us that peace. And he’s starting to, and it’s wonderful. We’re coming together again and working together and getting through it. And Joel is the strongest one of us all.”

Even Scottie Scheffler is an ardent Christ follower. He met Ted Scott through a shared Bible study group on the Tour and connected more during the 2021 Zurich Classic. Seeking a faith-driven partner, Scheffler hired Scott in late 2021.

“I believe in Jesus. Ultimately, I think that’s what defines me most,” Scheffler said in 2024.

As the Scotts help Joel recover, we can expect things to improve. Ted Scott, with his unshakable faith, is not ready to give up. And neither is his wife nor Joel.

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