AUGUSTA, Ga. – In search of the essence of Scottie Scheffler, one would have journeyed not out to the first round of the 2023 Masters, when he opened defense of his championship with a 4-under 68. Nor would you have needed to attend the Champions Dinner, which was hosted in his honor, or to any of his practice sessions, for that matter.

No, the essence of this 26-year-old Texan shined on a warm and quiet Sunday, the day before the 87th Masters officially commenced. It was on that day that the world’s top-ranked player fell back into a role that he wears brilliantly and non-stop when he’s off the big stages of professional golf – a grateful son, a loving brother, a young man who understands how he arrived at the magnificent place where he’s at.

“That’s just who he is,” said Callie Paysse, Scheffler’s older sister. “He’s never forgotten where he’s from and all the sacrifices that were made.”

It was days before the 2023 Masters when Paysee, the mother of a 10-month-old son, Hayes, thought she was making a casual family trip to Augusta, Ga., to prepare for a fun week at a golf tournament that is arguably the sport’s grandest showcase.

What she didn’t know was the trip would begin with a surprise – a round of golf at Augusta National with her brother, the defending champion.

“I had no idea. I was the only one in the family who didn’t know about it. Everyone else knew,” said Paysee. “I didn’t even know he had that ability (to invite a guest).”

But as a Masters champion, Scheffler does have the right to bring a guest the Sunday before the tournament begins. That it was Callie is no surprise to anyone who knows the family unity.

“She was the classic first child. She felt a responsibility to look after her younger brother when she caddied for him in all those big junior tournaments,” said Rocky Hambric, whose management company represents Scheffler and a stable of other big names, including Brooks Koepka, a four-time major winner.

“Callie was always a very strong young lady.”

She’ll confess to a weak spot, however, if asked to recount the way her family pulled off the surprise. Her husband, Andrew Paysse, was part of the plan to ship his wife’s clubs to Augusta without her knowing. Give him high marks for his cleverness.

“He asked if it was OK to move my clubs out of the hallway and into the attic because I never play much. He thought they were smelling up the hallway,” laughed Callie. She agreed to the idea.

“I mean, I hadn’t played golf in a while, so I said fine.”

The clubs never saw the attic; instead, they were put in safe keeping, then shipped, along with her golf shoes. Soon thereafter, the family was gathered in Augusta, Ga., and on Sunday morning, the defending champion made his move.

“Scottie came in and handed me a note on official Masters (stationery),” said Callie.

Before one had a chance to ask her what the note said, beyond that it included an invitation to play at Augusta National, Callie shook her head. She would keep it a secret, saying that it was so personal. But her reaction, she shared: “I was speechless. I was emotional.”

What awaited Scottie Scheffler and his sister on Sunday, April 2 was a warm, pulsating sun and an Augusta National Golf Club that was showing off its vibrant green splendor. While Paysse, who played collegiately at Texas A&M and is “the second-best player in the family,” said Hambric, hadn’t played 18 holes in a long time, something about being at Augusta must have ignited her competitive juices.

The key was simple. “I took a deep breath,” she said. “A lot of them.”

Then she discovered that another key had been discovered. “I love putting these greens,” laughed Callie.

Now she wasn’t about to reveal hole-by-hole, but the older sister whose marvelous work as her younger brother’s caddie all those summers, did offer up a pair of highlights.

At the par-4 fifth hole, arguably the toughest on the first nine, Callie hit a juicy wedge tight for her third shot. “Scott even looked back at me and smiled. He was impressed.”

She made that putt to save par, then at 18 the former Texas A&M player drove it into the trees right and punched out. There were 87 yards left and when Callie wedged it to about 15 feet, it was family time.

She looked at it and had the line, just as she had done for years with “little” Scottie.

“I used to read a lot of his putts when I caddied for him,” she laughed. “But this time I told him I wanted him to double-check. I told him, ‘I’m going to make this putt,’ and when he pointed to a spot that I needed to roll the putt over, it was the line I thought, too.”

The big sister made the putt. She had a magical Augusta National memory that was made possible by a younger brother who proves his rich character every day. Those four hours on a warm Augusta day will be filed alongside all the memories of weekends and trips and the tournaments when she walked alongside her brother in junior tournaments throughout the country.

“We’re so proud of him, all of us,” said Paysse, whose brother would finish at 70 – 284 for a share of 10th in this year’s Masters. “He remembers all the sacrifices that were made for him and he’s grateful for everything.

“When we traveled to junior tournaments, a lot of times we had families take us in.” They were wonderful days, filled with a lot of success for Scottie Scheffler, and their host families were terrific. But, always, Callie and Scottie rallied around this, “We had each other to lean on,” said Callie.

They still do, too.