Scheffler’s Secret Battle: Played BMW with Hand, Foot & Mouth
Scottie Scheffler Plays Through Illness at BMW Championship: A Story of Grit and Stubbornness
What Happened?
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s #1 golfer, played in the BMW Championship while battling a nasty illness called hand, foot, and mouth disease. Despite painful blisters on his hands that made holding a golf club hurt, he finished the tournament tied for 12th place.
Important Point: Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a viral illness that causes sores in the mouth and a rash/blisters on hands and feet. It’s common in kids but adults can get it too!
The Timeline: How It All Went Down
1. Before the Tournament
- Scheffler had just won the FedEx St. Jude Championship by 8 shots — a massive victory!
- He was playing the best golf of his life
- He was already guaranteed to be #1 in the FedEx Cup standings heading into the final tournament
2. Monday Night: The Crash
- After traveling and coming down from the adrenaline of his big win, Scheffler got sick
- "Playing really good golf, and you come out of the heat and get a little adrenaline, sometimes your body kind of crashes," he explained
3. Thursday: Too Sick to Talk
- Scheffler turned down interview requests
- Simply said: "I’m sick"
- Gripping the club was very painful due to blisters on his hands
4. Friday Through Sunday: Grinding It Out
- Considered withdrawing (quitting the tournament) but decided against it
- "If I was smarter maybe I would have pulled out, but I was playing so good I felt like if I could knock it out quickly and just get through the first couple rounds I would still have a chance."
- Shot a 2-under 68 on Sunday (a good score!) to finish tied for 12th
5. The Funny/Scary Moment
- After finishing, he almost shook hands with fellow golfer Cameron Young
- Stopped himself just in time — realizing he might still be contagious!
- "His only mistake — aside from three bogeys — was nearly shaking hands with Cameron Young when they finished because he was feeling back to normal."
Why Didn’t He Just Quit?
Great question! Here’s Scheffler’s own explanation:
"That’s part of my stubbornness, probably. That’s probably a strength of mine and a weakness at times. I’ve never been one to ever pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it. That’s really frustrating for me."
But here’s the kicker: There was almost nothing at stake for him!
- Already locked in as FedEx Cup #1
- Already earned $23 million bonus
- At the Tour Championship (next week), all 30 players start fresh — anyone can win by winning at East Lake
Important Point: In hindsight, Scheffler admitted: "In hindsight, Scheffler said it would have been prudent to pull out with so little at stake."
How Did He Play Considering the Circumstances?
| Stat | Performance | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Final Position | Tied for 12th | Respectable for being sick! |
| Sunday Score | 2-under 68 | Strong finishing round |
| Greens Hit | 65% | Below his usual elite standard |
| Best Stretch | 3 straight birdies | Briefly moved into top 10 |
| Final Hole | Bogey from fairway bunker | Tough finish |
The Silver Lining
Scheffler is healing up and staying positive:
- "My hands feel normal today" (said Sunday)
- "I felt better as the week went on"
- "I’m proud of how I fought"
- Now: Resting up before the Tour Championship starting Thursday
Summary
Scottie Scheffler showed incredible toughness by playing through hand, foot, and mouth disease at the BMW Championship. Despite painful blisters making it hard to hold a club, he finished tied for 12th with a strong final round.
The twist? He didn’t need to play at all — he’d already secured the #1 seed and a $23 million bonus. His competitive stubbornness kept him in the tournament, which he now admits probably wasn’t the smartest decision. But he’s healing, resting, and will be ready to chase the FedEx Cup title at the Tour Championship this week.
FAQ
What is hand, foot, and mouth disease?
It’s a viral infection (usually caused by coxsackievirus) that causes fever, mouth sores, and a blistery rash on hands and feet. It’s very contagious and common in young children, but adults can catch it too. It usually clears up in 7-10 days.
Why was it so hard for Scheffler to play golf with this?
Golf requires gripping a club tightly for hours. Blisters on the palms and fingers make this extremely painful. Plus, the illness causes fatigue, fever, and throat pain — not ideal for 4 days of tournament golf!
What is the FedEx Cup and why was Scheffler already #1?
The FedEx Cup is the PGA Tour’s season-long points championship. The top players qualify for the 3-tournament playoffs. Scheffler had such a massive points lead that even before the BMW Championship, he was mathematically guaranteed to be the #1 seed entering the final tournament (Tour Championship).
How much money did Scheffler make from this?
He earned $23 million for finishing #1 in the regular season FedEx Cup standings (the "Regular Season Bonus"). His T-12 finish at BMW Championship added more prize money on top of that.
Will he be ready for the Tour Championship?
He says he’s "starting to heal up" and will rest this week. His hands feel normal, though his throat is still bothering him. Given a few days of rest, he should be close to 100% for Thursday’s start at East Lake.