Given his current form and world No. 1 ranking, Scottie Scheffler is the clear favorite to win when he tees off at the Masters this week.
But Scheffler and his close friend and fellow countryman Sam Burns might be excused for thinking about much more than just taking home the coveted green jacket. In the upcoming weeks, the two will become parents for the first child; Burns’ wife Caroline is due in nine days, while Scheffler’s wife Meredith is due in three weeks.
The 27-year-old best friends and golfers are reportedly staying together in Augusta, and they promised to go at any moment if any of their wives became pregnant, according to a Monday broadcast from Augusta on the Golf Channel.
While some people may find the idea of becoming a father intimidating, Scheffler’s performance at the Masters in 2022 doesn’t seem to have been impacted.
The American has now secured two consecutive victories on the PGA Tour, first at the Players Championship and then the Arnold Palmer Invitational, contributing to his $11,493,235 in prize money this season alone. Additionally, he tied for second place at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, just missing out on a hat-trick of victories alongside Scheffler.
When asked what it will be like to become a father, Scheffler said, “It’s going to be pretty wild.” It hasn’t completely reached either of us yet, but as a family, we’re going through an exciting moment.
“It’s been a pretty exciting last seven months or so and we’re looking forward to hopefully getting the baby out of there nice and healthy and with a healthy momma, and then we’ll go from there.”
In 2020, Scheffler tied the knot with Meredith Scudder, his six-year partner, after they had connected while attending Highland Park High School in Texas.
In April of 2019, Burns and Caroline Campbell announced their engagement, and eight months later, in December, they tied the knot. The Shreveport natives first connected in a religious class when they were just five years old. Although they went to different high schools, they would later begin dating at Louisiana State University.
After missing the cut at the Valspar Championship in his previous outing, Burns’ form has been less outstanding, but he has still finished in the top 10 three times this year in eight outings and earned $2,126,563 in prize money.
