Being the caddie for some of golf’s greatest players can lead to incredible wealth
The excellence of Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods has led to their caddies earning millions(Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods may trail Scottie Scheffler in the PGA Tour‘s all-time money list, but the 15-time major champion still has one over on his fellow golf legend. That is when it comes to the earnings their respective caddies have banked.
Scheffler, 30, surpassed Woods, 50, as the career money leader after winning the Tour Championship last month. The victory banked the American a whopping $10million prize (£7.3m), marking the second time he’s won the final tournament of the season.
The four-time major winner’s official career earnings now sit at $130m (£96m) after usurping Woods’ $121m (£89m) mark, a record he possessed for over 20 years. Scheffler’s sizeable cheque for besting Viktor Hovland at the East Lake Golf Club meant his caddie, Ted Scott, is believed to have earned $1m (£735k).
Scheffler’s fruitful 2026 has seen him claim three event wins, with Scott’s earnings this year reaching over $4m (£2.9m) – a figure that sees him ahead of countless PGA Tour players this season.
The caddie began working with the world No. 1 in 2021 and has been by his side for each of his 22 victories on tour. It is widely accepted that players give 10 per cent of their prize winnings to their caddies if they win the tournament and between 5-7 per cent depending on how high they finish.
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It’s been reported that Scott has earned up to $10m (£7.3m) with Scheffler, and while that’s a remarkable amount of money, it does not yet compare to the earnings Steve Williams accrued during his 12-year association with Woods.
The New Zealander worked with Woods between 1999 and 2011 as the American dominated the sport while ushering in a new era of golf. The duo won 13 majors together, with Williams said to have built a reported fortune worth $20m (£15.7m) during his decade-plus partnership with Woods.
Ted Scott has been present for every one of Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Tour victories (Image: Getty)
Williams’ reign as the highest-earning caddie in PGA Tour history is a record he comfortably holds, but it likely won’t last for long with Scheffler continuing to win events at a stunning rate.
Scheffler has an argument for being the most dominant golfer since Woods’ reign and has long paid tribute to the California-born legend for his impact in growing the sport. He admitted the increasing size of tournament purses is down to Woods’ influence.
Steve Williams worked with Tiger Woods for 12 years(Image: AP)
Speaking prior to winning the Tour Championship, he said: “The reason our purses are so large today is because of the influence and impact that Tiger had on the game. I wouldn’t really consider that a Tiger record being broken. I think it just shows one of the many effects he had on the game of golf in a positive way.”