Scheffler names his BMW illness: hand, foot and mouth disease

By Staff Writer

August 24, 2026

2 min read

Key takeaways

Scottie Scheffler said he played the BMW Championship with hand, foot and mouth disease.
He fell ill on the Monday night of tournament week, days after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship by eight shots.
Blisters on his hands made gripping the club painful in the opening rounds.
He closed with a 2-under 68 at Bellerive to finish inside the top 15.
Withdrawing was suggested to him and he refused; he plans to rest rather than practise before the Tour Championship.

Scottie Scheffler identified the illness that shadowed his week in St. Louis after Sunday's final round: hand, foot and mouth disease, a contagious viral infection that most often turns up in small children. He had acknowledged being unwell earlier in the week without naming it.

What Scheffler said about playing through it

“I got sick Monday night,” Scheffler said. The timing followed an eight-stroke win at the playoff opener in Memphis, and he put the crash down to coming out of the heat with adrenaline draining away. The physical problem was more specific than fatigue: the illness produces blisters on the hands, feet and throat, and in Scheffler's case the ones on his hands made it painful to hold a club through the first two rounds.

He said someone raised the idea of withdrawing and he would not consider it, calling his refusal to pull out mid-tournament both a strength and a weakness. He also gave up the parts of his week that are not scoring — he could not train, practise or warm up in his usual way, prioritising rest instead. By Sunday his hands had returned to normal, though his throat had not, and he caught himself about to shake hands with Cameron Young on the 18th green before remembering why he should not.

What it means for the Tour Championship

Scheffler said he will not work on anything in particular before East Lake. Rest is the plan. He arrives at the Tour Championship having already locked the largest FedEx Cup bonus of the season and an automatic Presidents Cup place, so the finale is about the title rather than the standings — and about whether a week of illness has left anything in the tank.

Frequently asked questions

What is hand, foot and mouth disease?

It is a common contagious viral illness, most frequently seen in young children, that produces blisters on the hands, feet and inside the throat. It typically resolves on its own within about a week.

Did Scottie Scheffler consider withdrawing from the BMW Championship?

It was suggested to him and he declined. He said he has never pulled out of a tournament in the middle of it and did not want to start.

What did Scottie Scheffler shoot at the BMW Championship?

He closed with a 2-under 68 on Sunday at Bellerive Country Club for a top-15 finish, a week after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship by eight strokes.