Scheffler played BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler revealed he played through a case of hand, foot and mouth disease at the BMW Championship, a decision he said was driven by stubbornness and a belief he could still contend. Scheffler made the disclosure after completing the tournament at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis on Sunday, August 23, 2026, where he finished tied for 12th at 7 under par.

The illness began on Monday night, August 17, just one day after Scheffler's dominant eight-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He described developing painful blisters on his hands and feet, as well as in his throat, which made gripping his clubs difficult at the start of the week. "So to start the week, it was pretty painful to grip the club," Scheffler 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's opening round was a 2-over-par 72, which bettered only three players in the 50-man field. From there, he rallied with three consecutive rounds in the 60s, including a 65 on Friday, to climb the leaderboard. He attributed...