Scottie Scheffler delivers brutal verdict on Ted Scott’s new mustache ahead of FedEx St. Jude

Scottie Scheffler had barely arrived at TPC Southwind before finding something to poke fun at — and this time, his caddie Ted Scott made himself an easy target.

Scott has turned up at the FedEx St. Jude Championship sporting a new mustache, and FedEx Cup race leader Scheffler was quick to make it clear that he is not a fan of his caddie’s latest look.

Asked about Scott’s facial-hair experiment, the World No.1 did not exactly hold back.

“I definitely won’t be joining him,” said Scheffler. “Yeah, I feel like he does something like that this time of the year, but yeah, he looks stupid.”

The verdict was brutal, although anyone familiar with the relationship between Scheffler and Scott will know there was little genuine malice behind it.

The pair have developed one of the most relaxed player-caddie partnerships in professional golf since joining forces in 2021, with plenty of teasing and banter between them.

Scott’s mustache simply provided Scheffler with another opportunity to have some fun.

Ted Scott’s mustache has form

Scott’s new look at this week's FedEx St Jude Championship is not entirely out of character. 

The veteran PGA Tour caddie has experimented with facial hair before, including during his long partnership with Bubba Watson.

Scott spent 15 years working with Watson before becoming Scheffler’s caddie, and the pair were also known for constantly winding each other up.

During one joint appearance, Watson took the opportunity to mock Scott’s mustache, describing it as a “reduced version” of the real thing.

That sense of humour has clearly followed Scott into his partnership with Scheffler.

There is also something of a tradition behind the timing of Scott’s latest experiment.

As the FedEx Cup Playoffs get underway, facial hair can become a regular sight around professional golf, with players and caddies occasionally embracing the playoff-beard tradition popularised in other sports.

Scott appears to have opted for his own version of that ritual — although his player is clearly not convinced by the results.

Scheffler has experimented with facial hair too

The irony is that Scheffler himself is hardly a stranger to changing his appearance.

The four-time major champion has gone through periods of appearing clean-shaven before showing up at tournaments with considerably more facial hair, as you can see from the photo above. 

At one point, when asked whether he planned to keep a beard for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scheffler essentially put it down to convenience, admitting that he was simply too lazy to shave. That makes his criticism of Scott’s mustache even more amusing.

For now, though, Scott appears committed to the look as Scheffler prepares for another important week in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Despite only winning once this season, Scheffler leads the season-long race as he goes in pursuit of a second FedEx Cup later this month. 

Whether the mustache survives this week's Playoffs opener may depend on how much more ammunition it gives Scheffler.

One thing is already certain: Scott should expect plenty more jokes from his player while he is carrying the bag in Memphis.