ROOKE: Superstars

Mary Rooke Commentary and Analysis Writer

The PGA Tour press conference for the 2026 Masters Tournament has been a breath of fresh air for families watching.

Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, and Tony Finau operate at the highest level of professional golf, but still show clear commitment to faith and family in the days leading into the year’s biggest tournament.

Scheffler entered the 2026 Masters as the world No. 1 and a strong favorite for his third green jacket. But just nine days before the tournament began, Scheffler withdrew from the Houston Open to be present for the birth of his second son, Remy Scheffler. He then brought his entire family to Augusta National.

During his Tuesday pre-tournament press conference, a reporter asked Scheffler about whether he was worried about getting enough sleep with a newborn in the house during Masters week. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)

“Congratulations on the birth of your son. I just wondered if you and Meredith have devised a plan to ensure you can sleep this week, or how you’re going to ensure you’re not getting up every few hours,” the reporter asked.

Scheffler credited his wife, Meredith, without hesitation, calling her a “trooper” and saying that he wasn’t worried about not sleeping.

“I’m getting plenty of sleep,” Scheffler said. “My wife’s a trooper and having a newborn is always an interesting thing, but Remy’s so young right now that … I think he’s still used to being in the womb at this point. So, yeah, been able to get a decent amount of sleep.”

As a mother and wife, these questions are always a bit comical. Scheffler is at the height of his career, with one of the biggest tournaments on the horizon. It seems obvious that, even if his newborn son weren’t sleeping well, his wife would do what needed to be done to ensure Scheffler was prepared. It’s similar to when husbands, in traditional career paths, have a big meeting and the wives take on more responsibility to give them the bandwidth to go in with the best foot forward. Still, Scheffler took the moment to honor his wife and the sacrifice she makes to make it possible for him. He did not downplay what she handles or treat it as background. He showed that she deserves recognition for her role as the mother of his two boys under the age of two.

He is the breadwinner whose earnings come from the PGA Tour, and he recognizes that her support at home and on the road allows him to perform without worrying about who is taking care of their family. It was a seemingly throwaway question, but it showcased the balance that comes in a loving marriage and family.

Another moment from Cameron ‘Cam’ Young also stood out at Tuesday’s press conference. Young brought his wife, Kelsey, and their three children, all under age five, to Augusta National. Young famously took his family to Sunday morning Mass before the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass a few weeks earlier, which he ended up winning.

Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers asked Young if this was a regular part of his family’s schedule during tournament weekends.

“Cam, I know you went to Mass with the family on Sunday morning of the Players Championship. Is that something you try to do every week on tournament weekends?” Powers asked.

“Wherever we are, we find Mass to go to. That week, it happens to be right by the golf course. So it’s a little bit different pulling in in the tournament car, unloading my kids out and having people kind of look at you the whole time,” Young said. “I get a lot of really, really nice comments, people saying, ‘hey, thanks for setting a great example for my children,’ or whatever it is. Honestly, it’s great to hear because I don’t feel like that’s the case all the time, and that’s one area where I’m really happy to be able to bring attention to that part of our life.”

“Our faith is very important to us,” Young added. “It’s something that I feel like brings us together. It’s very important, I think, for all of us to kind of have that part of our lives be a central portion of what we do, individually and as a family.”

What was so beautiful about this is that Young didn’t frame his faith as a special sacrifice just for tournaments. This is just simply part of his family’s weekly routine that will not be broken just because he has to play. Getting young children to Mass every Sunday is not always easy, but it would be even harder with the added pressure of a weekend tournament. But he makes it feel like raising his kids in his faith and passing on that formation is a non-negotiable.

While Tony Finau did not qualify for the 2026 Masters, he is another professional golfer who has similarly promoted his family while on tour. Finau, who has six children with his wife, Alayna, has repeatedly prioritized family time over individual tournaments when the events conflict.

In October 2024, Finau skipped the Black Desert Championship to watch his 12-year-old son Jraice compete with Team Utah in the 13U PGA Junior League Championship. And after winning the 2023 Mexico Open, he caddied for his kids at a local par-3 course just four hours later. Finau talks about his wife and children as if they are central to his life, not golf, despite the reality that the game provides for their family. Still, his family is the most important. (ROOKE: Leave It To The Ladies Of ‘The View’ To Give The Worst Advice To Young Americans)

Golf’s audience has shifted noticeably in recent years, with National Golf Foundation data showing that the 18-34 age group now accounts for the largest share of on-course players.

These three men sit among the best in the world. What stands out is that their family and faith commitments do not appear as exceptions made during slow periods. They happen alongside some of their biggest tournaments. They are actively showing the world, and especially the massive number of young adults who have become increasingly interested in golf, that their most important role is being a good father and husband.

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