With the country’s pride and honor in line, the stakes get higher than just money. Reflecting on that, Scottie Scheffler‘s caddie reminisced about the shortcomings he has faced in his career, taking accountability and responsibility with just days left for the showdown. The Ryder Cup stars might take a page out of Ted Scott‘s battles against those struggles.

The Ryder Cup star’s caddie walked down the aisle from where the players walk to get to the first tee, as he recorded a video for the ‘Sunday Sermon’ on his Instagram. This video series is exactly what it promises—slivers of wisdom every Sunday. However, the pre-Ryder Cup version might have addressed one of the most universal struggles. No prizes for guessing, Scott went over the criticism factor of sports, and how stifling it can be. However, the reel was far from just motivational words thrown in the air. Scott braved his own personal struggles and shared them with the audience.

“So many times in my life I’ve let fear control me. I’ve let the thoughts of what other people think control me. And I’m really working on that. And that’s something I wish you guys would work on.” Scott’s words cut deep, not just because of the raw vulnerability they voiced, but also because of the truth they hold. The fear of judgment can put people in chains they don’t consciously know about. Scott confirmed that even the elites at the highest level cannot escape criticism.

Bringing comparisons to the Ryder Cup stars, Scott stated, “Here’s the coolest thing about criticism. All these guys are going to be criticized. Why? Because they’re putting themselves in the arena.” Scott hit the nail on the head with this statement. Critics often express contempt for those who take the initiative, rather than those who never try to achieve anything. Scott added, “If you do nothing, if you say nothing, you’ll be nothing. But if you get over that fear of being criticized and having a failure, then you can truly start having some success.”

While accepting the truth at the moment feels easy, Scott’s journey to the realization hasn’t been all roses and sunshine.

The seasoned caddie, who has worked with pros like Bubba Watson for over 2 decades, has seen his fair share of mental battles. Especially after caddying for Watson for 15 straight years and their split back in 2021, the events felt strenuous for Ted Scott. Transitioning to other golfers was as much of a physical battle as it was a mental one. Scott revealed that he almost called it quits on his caddying career when he got the call from Scheffler.

More recently, Ted Scott took a brief hiatus from the courses due to a nagging family emergency.

In August, Scott’s nephew suffered an injury that he described as “the hardest thing I’ve ever walked through in my entire life.” Scott revealed that he felt helpless even though he had not given up hope. Through the thick of it all, his wife has been a constant supporting pillar. She pushed him to the courses even when thoughts about quitting took over.

“In the times that I’ve tried to quit, I’ve had great people that wouldn’t allow me to quit that made me keep going. One of those people is my wife. I’ve tried to quit caddying three times and she’s kept me in it. She’s like, you can do this. Come on. Pick yourself up, boy. Get after it. And you know, what a blessing that’s been to me,” Scott admitted.

The caddie’s words surely rang a bell. He didn’t just impart a “sermon” on dealing with criticisms. Ted Scott also displayed his strength and character through this vulnerable, accountable admission about his struggles. Apparently, the star caddie is already working to not let the critics’ voices drag him down. The timing makes his words even more powerful.

With the Ryder Cup just days away, Ted Scott reminds the players and fans alike that true strength comes from facing both pressure and vulnerability head-on. And the Ryder Cup stars aren’t unaware of this attitude.

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When critics lashed Scottie Scheffler

It’s pretty safe to say that even the World No. 1 wasn’t spared from the critical analysts of the sport.

Scottie Scheffler didn’t experience a particularly devastating season in 2024; in fact, it was impressive. However, things went south as soon as Scheffler faltered at the US Open. Looking actually human for the first time in a while, Scheffler broke his dominating stretch of T17 or better finishes since August 2023, to finish T41. That didn’t sit well with the critics.

This performance led to discussions among golf analysts and commentators about his putting consistency. While his ball-striking remained exceptional, his putting was identified as a potential area for improvement. Some critics questioned whether his putting deficiencies could hinder his performance in major tournaments.

And what better way to silence the crowds than to snag the Olympic gold?

Scottie Scheffler flipped the script in style as he closed a 4-shot deficit with an impressive 9-under 62. Defeating Tommy Fleetwood by one stroke advantage, Scheffler clinched the gold, as he remarked, “It’s been a long week. It’s been a challenging week. I played some great golf today, and I’m proud to be going home with a medal.”

With Ted Scott by his side, Scottie Scheffler’s Olympic triumph became as much a testament to his caddie’s support as to his own skill.