Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns in Memphis.
PGA Tour, Getty Images
Hello friends and welcome to this week’s edition of the Rogers Report! Between the PGA Tour Playoffs and the AIG Women’s Open at the Old Course, we are shaping up to have a very exciting week in golf. The Women’s Open has me feeling very nostalgic for last fall, when the GOLF crew headed to St. Andrews for 10 days to document the Notre Dame men’s and women’s golf teams at the St. Andrews Collegiate, and of course explore the area. I had never been to Scotland before that trip, and now I can’t wait to return one day. If you’re ever over there, I wrote all about the things you can do when you aren’t teeing it up here. Make sure to stop at Jannettas Gelateria. No need to thank me.
Okay, on to the last week in golf.
Bear Burns and Bennett Scheffler
Best pals Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler each welcomed new children to their families earlier this year, and Bear Burns and Bennett Scheffler were the stars of the show at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week. The boys were born just a few days apart, which is kind of the dream for the Burns and Scheffler families. A second generation of best pals! We’ll kick things off with Bear Burns (great name, by the way), who accompanied his dad to work during a practice round in Memphis.
Bear watched “Uncle Xander” tee off, and then was handed over to the two-time major champion while his dad teed off.
Bear Burns is living the life and he has no idea (yet). He’s got a front-row seat to watch the best golfers in the world.
Bear’s buddy Bennett Scheffler seems to be doing pretty well, too. Little Scheffler got a great view of his dad teeing it up on Friday thanks to an assist from Sam Burns.
I know they say it takes a village to raise a child, and it’s so sweet to see a village of PGA Tour bros helping each other out and looking after each other’s kids. The Lion King-esque moment reminded me of when Jordan Spieth held up his son, Sammy, at the 2022 Presidents Cup. We need more of these adorable moments in golf, please!
When I think of golfers who create great content, I think of Bryson DeChambeau and Min Woo Lee. I usually consider Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele to be a little bit more on the serious side at the golf course, but they really rose to the occasion last week in Memphis. And because of that, I declare them the early contenders for Playoff Content kings this year.
They already got shouted out for their wholesome baby content in this article, but there’s more. The two had a funny interaction in the flash zone, where players talk to media — and I guess Xander Schauffele, depending on the day — after their round.
Schauffele has really picked up on some media tricks over the years. I doubt he actually recorded Scheffler’s answers, but he knew to hold his phone up, and looking the part is half the battle.
But that wasn’t all. Schauffele had some fun with the PGA Tour’s social team over the weekend as well. As someone who is known to joke around at work, I respect these guys’ decision to be serious on the golf course and then a little more relaxed after. There’s room for both!
My favorite part of covering events is seeing the players show some personality, and that is exactly what Xander and Scheffler did last week. I’m all in on this and hope it continues. It makes golf more fun. I guess it’s easier to relax a bit when one of you has won two majors this season and the other has six wins this year, but my point remains.
Scottie Scheffler’s sweet gesture
Oh look, another reason to admire Scottie Scheffler!
The World No. 1 and his caddie, Ted Scott, took some time to chat with nine-year-old Liliana on the 18th green in Memphis on Sunday. After going through a liver transplant, chemotherapy and radiation, Liliana is now back home with her family and returning to a bit of normalcy.
I’ve seen players meet with young golf fans during practice rounds, but Liliana served as an honorary flag holder at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, so she met Scheffler right on the 72nd hole on Sunday. What an awesome memory for everyone involved.
The return of Shota Hayafuji
Hideki Matsuyama’s team was robbed leaving the Paris Olympics, and it left his caddie and coach without their passports. They had to return to Japan to get new ones, so Matsuyama had Ryo Hisatsune’s looper on the bag last week.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Shota Hayafuji, allow me the privilege of giving you some information on this guy. He first went viral for showing respect to Augusta National with a bow on the 18th green when Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters.
Hideki Matsuyama's caddie, Shota Hayafuji, removing his hat and bowing his head after returning the pin.
Hayafuji also got some attention when he sat above the 18th green at Riviera and smoked a vape while waiting for the final groups to finish at the Genesis Invitational. Matsuyama was about to win the event, and there Hayafuji was, taking in all the action.
It’s fair to say I’ve become a big Shota Hayafuji fan over the years, so I was super bummed to hear what happened to him after the Olympics. Sure, Matsuyama played just fine without his guy on the bag and won last week, but I missed Hayafuji’s presence out there.
From a last-minute caddie change to his first victory on @HidekiOfficial_'s bag.
So I was very pleased to learn that all is well for Hayafuji. He’s back in the United States this week and ready to loop for Matsuyama at the BMW Championship.
