Scottie Scheffler reveals health struggle at BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler has disclosed that he contended with hand, foot and mouth disease during the BMW Championship, and acknowledged that his stubbornness may have inhibited his decision to withdraw, reports BritPanorama.
The world number one finished tied for 12th after concluding the tournament with a two-under-par 68 on Sunday, which is a disappointing outcome by the exceptional standards he has set this season.
His performance takes on a different perspective in light of the debilitating symptoms he faced throughout the event. The illness resulted in blisters that made the fundamental act of gripping his clubs painful.
“So to start the week it was pretty painful to grip the club,” Scheffler revealed. “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.”
Arriving at the BMW Championship in strong form following an impressive eight-shot victory at the FedEx St Jude Championship, Scheffler’s optimism quickly faded as his health deteriorated. He fell ill on Monday night and had initially offered little explanation on Thursday, stating simply, “I’m sick.”
The gravity of his condition only became evident after he had completed all four rounds. Despite his discomfort, Scheffler secured a $23 million bonus by maintaining the top position in the FedEx Cup standings, yet he expressed frustration at not pulling out even with that assurance.
“That’s part of my stubbornness, probably. That’s probably a strength of mine and a weakness at times,” he reflected. “I’ve never been one to ever pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it. That’s really frustrating for me.”
Proud of his tenacity, Scheffler noted, “Feel like I’m starting to heal up. My throat is still bugging me pretty good. But my hands feel normal today.” Still, the discomfort was apparent as he struggled to perform consistently during the tournament.
Despite his health issues, Scheffler managed to briefly threaten a top-10 finish during his final round with three consecutive birdies. A closing bogey from a fairway bunker, however, left him tied for 12th, while his inconsistent performance was evidenced by only finding 65 percent of greens in regulation and recording 13 bogeys overall.
He suggested that the illness may have hit him harder due to the physical and emotional exertion following his impressive victory the week prior. “You come out of the heat and get a little adrenaline, sometimes your body kind of crashes,” he explained. “Then it hit me pretty good all week. I’m still not 100 percent now but I’ll get some rest now, and hopefully that will help.”
It serves as a stark reminder that even the sport’s elite can be humbled by unforeseen challenges, illuminating the fine line athletes walk between physical prowess and personal well-being.
