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Scheffler says he played BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler disclosed after the BMW Championship that he competed while battling hand, foot and mouth disease, suffering painful blisters that made gripping the club difficult. He finished tied for 12th, considered withdrawing, and admitted stubbornness may have led to a poor decision to play.
Scheffler reveals he played BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease
ST. LOUIS — Scottie Scheffler wrapped a most ordinary performance by his standards with his 13th bogey of the week in the BMW Championship. Turns out it was a most extraordinary week given his health.
“I’m sick,” Scheffler said while turning down an interview request Thursday. After he closed with a 2-under 68 on Sunday, Scheffler offered a few more details. He said he was dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease, a contagious viral illness that causes blisters.
“So to start the week it was pretty painful to grip the club,” he said. “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.”
Scheffler, who won the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week by eight shots, said he got sick Monday night, the day after that victory. Blisters developed on his hands, in his throat and on his feet, according to multiple reports.
A painful decision to play
Scheffler opened the BMW Championship with a 2-over 72 before recovering with rounds of 65, 68 and 68. He finished tied for 12th at 7 under — though one report listed him tied for 10th, a discrepancy that remained unresolved among the sources.
Gripping the club was painful at the start of the week, and Scheffler said the blisters on his hands were the most challenging symptom. He also said walking was fine and adrenaline helped.
Scheffler said withdrawing from the tournament had been suggested, but he would not identify who made the recommendation. He acknowledged that pulling out might have been the wiser choice given what was at stake.
“I think that’s part of my stubbornness, probably. That’s probably a strength of mine and a weakness at times,” Scheffler said. “I’ve never been one to ever pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it. That’s really frustrating for me.”
He added: “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.”
Performance and preparation affected
Scheffler had three straight birdies that briefly got him inside the top 10, but he closed with a bogey from a fairway bunker. He hit only 65% of his greens during the tournament.
He also had to adjust his preparation. According to one report, Scheffler prioritized rest instead of his normal workouts, practice sessions and warmups. That report also said he ranked 31st in Strokes Gained: Approach and that he told reporters he didn’t know what to work on before East Lake, replying “No.”
By Sunday, Scheffler said his throat was still bothering him but his hands felt normal. “Feel like I’m starting to heal up,” he said. “My throat is still bugging me pretty good. But my hands feel normal today.”
Already secured top seed
Scheffler was already assured of being No. 1 in the FedEx Cup through the BMW Championship, which earned him a $23 million bonus. He said seeds don’t matter next week at the Tour Championship because all 30 players who advance start even and only have to win at East Lake to capture the FedEx Cup.
Scheffler, who has won two events this season, heads to the Tour Championship as the FedExCup leader. He has one final opportunity to convert his double win total into a triple at East Lake.
Nearly shaking hands with Cameron Young at the end of the round was his only mistake aside from three bogeys, per one report.
Medical context
The Cleveland Clinic says hand, foot and mouth disease is “very contagious” but “not serious” and goes away on its own within one to two weeks. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes the disease is very contagious and usually resolves within seven to ten days.
The disease is not related to foot-and-mouth disease found in livestock, according to the CDC.
Scheffler has two young sons, Bennett and Remy, though he did not say where he might have picked up the illness.
How each outlet told it
Associated Press
Framing: Uses direct quote 'Scheffler says he played BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease' — factual and disease-focused. — Measured, reporting his quotes with neutral language.
Facts Included:
Scheffler played with hand, foot and mouth disease
he said 'I'm sick' while declining an interview Thursday
he closed with a 2-under 68 on Sunday
he had blisters that made gripping the club painful
he considered pulling out but played on
he was assured of being No. 1 in FedEx Cup and a $23 million bonus
he said seeds don't matter next week at Tour Championship
he called stubbornness a strength and weakness
he nearly shook hands with Cameron Young
he had three straight birdies but closed with a bogey from a fairway bunker
he hit only 65% of his greens
he got sick Monday night
his throat still bothered him but hands felt normal
Framing: Headline: 'Never Been One To Quit': Scottie Scheffler Battles Brutal Illness Through BMW Championship — emphasizes his toughness and reluctance to quit. — Admiring, using 'battles brutal illness' and highlighting his determination.
Facts Included:
Scheffler won St. Jude last week
opened BMW with 2-over 72, then 5-under 65, then two 2-under 68s
finished tied for 12th
had hand, foot and mouth disease
blisters on hands, throat, feet
gripping club was painful
he had been advised not to play (suggested)
he said 'I got sick Monday night'
he said he is still not 100%
he said 'If I were smarter, maybe I would have pulled out'
he said stubbornness is strength and weakness
he said 'I've never been one to ever pull out of a tournament'
he said walking was fine, adrenaline helped
blisters on hands were most challenging
he said 'it maybe was a poor decision playing, but I've never been one to try and quit'
heads to Tour Championship as FedExCup leader
he has won two events this season
he has final opportunity to convert double to triple
Framing: Headline: 'What happened to Scottie Scheffler? Latest health update on golfer's illness after BMW Championship' — focuses on health update and what happened. — Neutral and informative, using 'unusually difficult' and 'acknowledged'.
Facts Included:
Scheffler had an unusually difficult week at BMW
he declined interview Thursday saying 'I'm sick'
he said 'So to start the week it was pretty painful to grip the club'
he said 'If I was smarter maybe I would have pulled out'
he said 'Feel like I'm starting to heal up. My throat is still bugging me pretty good. But my hands feel normal today'
he acknowledged withdrawing may have been wiser because little at stake
he had already secured No. 1 seed in FedEx Cup standings and $23 million bonus
seeding advantage carries limited importance at Tour Championship
he had three consecutive birdies but made a bogey from a fairway bunker
he hit only 65% of his greens
he said 'I felt better as the week went on. I got sick Monday night'
he said 'Playing really good golf, and you come out of the heat and get a little adrenaline, sometimes your body kind of crashes'
Framing: Headline: 'Scottie Scheffler reveals he had hand, foot and mouth disease at BMW Championship' — factual and disease-focused. — Admiring, saying he 'deserves a ton of credit' for finishing top 12 while battling the illness.
Facts Included:
Scheffler finished tied for 12th place and 7 under par at BMW
had hand, foot and mouth disease
blisters on hands, throat, feet
gripping club was painful
he said 'If I was smarter, maybe I would have pulled out'
he said stubbornness is strength and weakness
he said 'I've never been one to pull out of a tournament'
he said 'even though it was suggested' (withdrawal was suggested)
his throat still bugging him, hands feeling more normal
he said blisters on hands were most challenging
he added that he deserves credit for finishing top 12
the illness probably kept him from being a true contender
Framing: Headline: 'Scottie Scheffler reveals battle with children's disease' — emphasizes the disease and frames it as a 'battle'. — Sympathetic, using 'battle' and describing his struggle, but also questioning his precautions.
Facts Included:
Scheffler revealed he had hand, foot and mouth disease during BMW Championship
he said it was difficult to grip his clubs
he said he considered pulling out, but played on
he said blisters on hands, throat, feet
he said 'I've never been one to pull out of a tournament'
he said 'even though it was suggested' (withdrawal was suggested)
he didn't say where he might have picked it up
he has two young sons, Bennett and Remy
his caddie Ted Scott wasn't pictured wearing gloves
no additional safety measures observed
throat still bothering, hands feeling more normal
finished 12th at the tournament
provided Cleveland Clinic info on HFMD being contagious but not serious
Framing: Uses direct quote 'Scheffler says he played BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease' — factual and disease-focused. — Measured, reporting his quotes with neutral language.
Facts Included:
Scheffler played with hand, foot and mouth disease
he said 'I'm sick' while declining an interview Thursday
he closed with a 2-under 68 on Sunday
he had blisters that made gripping the club painful
he considered pulling out but played on
he was assured of being No. 1 in FedEx Cup and a $23 million bonus
he said seeds don't matter next week at Tour Championship
he called stubbornness a strength and weakness
he nearly shook hands with Cameron Young
he had three straight birdies but closed with a bogey from a fairway bunker
he hit only 65% of his greens
he got sick Monday night
his throat still bothered him but hands felt normal
Framing: Headline: 'Scottie Scheffler Says Playing BMW With HFMD May Have Been a Mistake' — emphasizes the potential mistake in his decision to play. — Analytical and empathetic, using phrases like 'The blisters on hands was probably the most challenging' and 'That may be the most sensible choice available.'
Facts Included:
Scheffler became sick Monday night after winning St. Jude by eight shots
blisters on hands, throat, feet from hand, foot and mouth disease
played anyway, opened with 2-over 72, then rounds of 65, 68, 68
finished tied for 10th at 7-under
he said 'It was challenging overall' and 'going against the grain'
he said blisters on hands were most challenging for gripping club
he prioritized rest over normal workouts, practice, warmups
ranked 31st in Strokes Gained: Approach
walking was fine, adrenaline helped
by Sunday hands felt normal, throat still bothered
he said withdrawing had been suggested but didn't identify who
included quote about stubbornness being strength and weakness
nearly shook hands with Cameron Young
he said 'I really just did my best to try and battle and it maybe was a poor decision playing'
heads to East Lake as FedExCup leader, all 30 start even
provided CDC medical context on HFMD
noted HFMD is not related to foot-and-mouth disease in livestock
mentioned not known if medical clearance or precautions were taken
he said he didn't know what to work on before East Lake, replied 'No'
Framing: Headline: 'Never Been One To Quit': Scottie Scheffler Battles Brutal Illness Through BMW Championship — emphasizes his toughness and reluctance to quit. — Admiring, using 'battles brutal illness' and highlighting his determination.
Facts Included:
Scheffler won St. Jude last week
opened BMW with 2-over 72, then 5-under 65, then two 2-under 68s
finished tied for 12th
had hand, foot and mouth disease
blisters on hands, throat, feet
gripping club was painful
he had been advised not to play (suggested)
he said 'I got sick Monday night'
he said he is still not 100%
he said 'If I were smarter, maybe I would have pulled out'
he said stubbornness is strength and weakness
he said 'I've never been one to ever pull out of a tournament'
he said walking was fine, adrenaline helped
blisters on hands were most challenging
he said 'it maybe was a poor decision playing, but I've never been one to try and quit'
heads to Tour Championship as FedExCup leader
he has won two events this season
he has final opportunity to convert double to triple
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimScottie Scheffler played in the BMW Championship while dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease.