Scottie Scheffler reunites with caddie from U.S. Junior Amateur at WM Phoenix Open

The world No. 1 credits the Tucson resident with contributing to one of the biggest wins of his golf career.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 11:39am

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Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 golfer, reunited with Dave Harmon, the Tucson resident who caddied for him at the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Scheffler credits Harmon, who was 73 years old at the time, with helping him win that tournament, which was a major stepping stone in his career. The two caught up during the Annexus Pro-Am at the WM Phoenix Open, where Scheffler is the two-time defending champion.

Why it matters

Scheffler's reunion with his former caddie from the U.S. Junior Amateur highlights the lasting impact mentors can have on young athletes' careers. Harmon's steadying presence and experience helped the then-17-year-old Scheffler navigate a high-pressure tournament, which Scheffler credits as a key moment in his development into the world's top-ranked golfer.

The details

Harmon was on the bag for Scheffler as he competed for the fourth and final time at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2013. Despite Harmon's age of 73 and the high altitude of the course in Truckee, California, he helped keep the young Scheffler calm and focused, which Scheffler says was crucial to his winning the tournament. Scheffler's father believes Harmon's influence "opened the floodgates" for his son's success.

  • Scheffler and Harmon first worked together at the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
  • Scheffler won his first PGA Tour event at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open.
  • Scheffler repeated as champion at the WM Phoenix Open in 2023.

The players

Scottie Scheffler

The world's No. 1 ranked golfer and two-time winner of the WM Phoenix Open.

Dave Harmon

A 86-year-old resident of Tucson, Arizona, who caddied for Scheffler at the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

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What they’re saying

“It's always fun getting to catch up with Dave. I mean, he was a huge part of me winning the U.S. Junior. It was a huge kind of stepping stone in my career to perform when it mattered most, and Dave was a really big part of that, so it's always fun getting to catch up with him here.”

— Scottie Scheffler

“Well, I don't know how much I contributed to it, but actually, his mother said, 'Thank you for being as slow as you were in the last rounds because it gave him a chance to get up there and figure out what he was going to do. Usually he hustles too much.'”

— Dave Harmon, Retired Caddie

What’s next

Scheffler sits seven strokes behind the leader, Ryo Hisatsune, heading into the third round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.

The takeaway

Scheffler's reunion with his former caddie Harmon at the WM Phoenix Open underscores the lasting impact mentors can have on young athletes' careers. Harmon's steadying presence and experience helped guide the then-17-year-old Scheffler to a pivotal win at the U.S. Junior Amateur, which Scheffler credits as a key moment in his development into the world's top-ranked golfer.