October is Scottie Scheffler’s downtime as the world No. 1 takes an annual break from competitive golf. In some ways, it’s also the time of year when we learn things about Scheffler that we never knew.
Take October 2022, when Scheffler and Jordan Spieth starred in a pickleball pro-am event in Dallas, and Scheffler showed just how damn good he is at that sport. Or take this week, when it became clear on Tuesday that Scheffler at least has a buyer’s passion for professional fishing.
That’s right: Scottie Scheffler is the sole owner of the Texas Lone Stars Angling Club, one of fourteen five-man teams in the Sport Fishing Championship, an upstart saltwater fishing competition. Next season the competition will expand to 16 teams.
Scheffler stepped in early and became the sole owner of Lone Stars thirteen months ago, a move that didn’t get much attention. He was joined by a handful of other well-known athletes, such as Randy Moss and Alvin Kamara, who also bought ownership stakes in angling clubs. Then there’s LIV golfer Talor Gooch, who used some of his immense LIV earnings to purchase the Mississippi Blues Angling Club.
Most of that group is jealous this week when Scheffler’s Lone Stars won the season-ending championship, the Zane Gray Championship Playoffs, which concluded Monday in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Scheffler posted about it on his Instagram, saying, “Congratulations to @lonestarsac – thanks for inviting me.” The SFC website lists Scheffler as a member of the team’s front office, alongside general manager Justin Lamonica.
Ownership interest in professional sports has exploded in recent years as more and more niche sports have grown in popularity, TV rights deals have been struck and larger platforms for engagement have been created. Scheffler himself bought into the Texas Ranchers, one of the leading clubs in Major League Pickleball. Gooch spent even more money on a Pro Bull Riding franchise in Oklahoma. Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth were part of the consortium that bought Leeds United Football Club two summers ago.
As for the sportfishing championship, organizers seem keen to name Scheffler as much as possible. The Lone Stars were one of four teams competing in the two-day finals competition, and when they were introduced for the first time, lead analyst Robbie Floyd announced, “Their team owner, Scottie Scheffler, he’s watching.”
Whether Scheffler was watching or not, the contest uses a handful of golf elements, with a shotgun announcing when the lines can be cast, and a rules official regularly joining the broadcast to explain that the size of the dorsal fin helps determine whether a fish is a striped, black or blue marlin. (If you think the rules of golf are complex, tune in to the SFC, where teammates can help adjust a catcher’s seat but are not allowed to touch the rod, reel, or line.)
In short, certain fish are worth more points than others, which we learned when Scheffler’s crew caught a rare blue marlin with about 90 minutes to go. We’ll call that the equivalent of making an eagle on the 72nd hole to put the lead in the clubhouse. Moments after the time expired, Floyd brought it back to Scheffler:
“Scottie Scheffler, congratulations – you have another title in 2025,” prompting color commentator Peter Miller to jump in with an esoteric question: “I wonder if Scottie Scheffler has ever kissed the crystal? I know he’s kissed a lot of heads, but maybe not the crystal?”
Miller was referring to the dolphin-shaped crystal trophy awarded to the Lone Stars. Seconds later, an AI-generated image of Scheffler holding the angling trophy flashed on the screen. If that wasn’t enough to make the broadcast go a little over the skies, Floyd added, “Man, I’m a golfer. I live in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex. I’d love it if he ever takes me out.”
That’s a Hail Mary cast, buddy. It’s unclear whether Scheffler is a “fishhead,” as the angling-obsessed are called, or if this is a more passive ownership interest. But the team hopes to invite Scheffler for a fishing day this fall, as soon as scheduling allows.
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