World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler revealed he played through a case of hand, foot, and mouth disease during the BMW Championship in St. Louis, battling painful blisters that made gripping his club difficult just days after securing an eight-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Sickness Strikes After a Dominant Victory
Sickness always seems to hit at the worst possible time. For Scottie Scheffler, the symptoms began on a Monday—the exact day after he captured an eight-stroke win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. What followed was a grueling test of endurance at Bellerive during the BMW Championship.
Scheffler contracted hand, foot, and mouth disease, leaving him with painful blisters on his hands and throat. The affliction on his hands created an immediate hurdle for his competitive play, forcing him to alter both his practice habits and workout routine just to manage four rounds of professional golf.
Scottie Scheffler stated via PGA Tour that if he had been smarter he might have withdrawn, but he had been playing so well that he felt if he could push through it quickly and get past the first couple of rounds he would still have a chance, adding that he believed it was partly due to his stubbornness, which was likely both a strength of his and at times a weakness.
Battling Through Pain at Bellerive
Rather than withdrawing, the world No. 1 dug in. He recovered solidly from an over-par opening round in St. Louis by reeling off three rounds in the 60s. He ultimately finished 7 under par, tying for 11th place.
The physical toll behind the scenes was undeniable. Scheffler ranked 31st in Strokes Gained: Approach—a statistic well below his recent performances. Even so, medical advice to withdraw went unheeded as he pushed forward through the discomfort.
I really just did my best to try and battle and it maybe was a poor decision playing, but I’ve never been one to try and quit. I’ve never been one to ever pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it. That’s really frustrating for me. So I definitely didn’t want to do that going into this week, even though it was suggested. But I’m proud of how I fought. Feel like I’m starting to heal up. Scottie Scheffler, via PGA Tour
Looking Ahead to the FedExCup Standings
The illness marks a chapter as the golf season reaches its climax. Scheffler enters the upcoming FedExCup standings at No. 1, though the format offers no safety net compared to previous years. Following the elimination of Starting Strokes after the 2024 TOUR Championship, every competitor will start with a clean slate next week, where the lowest 72-hole score claims both the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup.
For now, the top-ranked player’s primary goal remains a clean bill of health as he prepares for the next stage of the postseason.
