Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world, picked up an eight-shot win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis last week, and then he immediately got hit with hand, foot and mouth disease. Talk about a brutal one-two punch! The dude crushed the field, only to reveal Sunday after the BMW Championship that he’d been battling blisters on his hands, feet, and in his throat since Monday night, the very next day after his big win.
Playing Through The Pain: Scheffler’s Brutal Battle
Can you even imagine? Scheffler said the whole thing was probably the most frustrating part, explaining how playing really good golf and then coming out of the heat with all that adrenaline can just crash your body. He was dealing with it hard all week, admitting he still wasn’t 100%. This wasn’t some minor sniffle, either. Things got so rough that Scheffler was struggling just to grip his club early in the week! He even said if he was smarter, maybe he would have pulled out. But no, not Scottie. He was playing too good, figured he could knock it out quickly, get through the first couple rounds, and still have a chance. That, my friends, is pure stubbornness, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
A Gritty Performance Despite No Routine
Despite being clearly under the weather, Scheffler still managed a pretty decent week at Bellerive Country Club, finishing T12 at the BMW Championship. He opened with a 2-over 72, which given the circumstances, is wild. But then he dug deep, posting three rounds in the 60s and closing with a 2-under 68. He finished 7-under on the week, only 10 shots back from winner Wyndham Clark. And get this: he did all that without his normal workout or pre-round routine. He said he was prioritizing rest, so practice and warm-ups went out the window. “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,” he said. That’s a warrior’s mentality right there.
Even with that fight, Scheffler heads into the Tour Championship next week in Atlanta as the clear leader in the FedExCup standings. The final event of the postseason doesn’t have the old staggered strokes starting format, so he won’t have any advantage going in. But he’s feeling like he’s in a better spot, “proud of how I fought.” His throat is still bugging him, but his hands are feeling normal, and he’s hoping the rest will clear things up. Here’s to hoping our #1 guy gets to 100% and finishes this season strong in Atlanta!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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