Scottie Scheffler Plays Through Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease at the 2026 BMW Championship

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis while battling hand, foot and mouth disease. Despite painful blisters on his hands, feet and throat, he completed four rounds, posting a 2-under 68 on the final day and finishing tied for 12th, 7 under par for the tournament.

New York Post

The week followed Scheffler’s eight-shot victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, which secured his position atop the FedEx Cup standings. The BMW Championship is the penultimate event of the three-week FedEx Cup Playoffs, and a strong finish guarantees a spot in the season-ending Tour Championship. Scheffler’s lead meant he would retain the No. 1 ranking and the associated $23 million bonus even if he had withdrawn.

ESPN

• Opening round: 2-over 72, his highest 18-hole score since the U.S. Open in June.

ESPN

• Subsequent rounds: 65, 68, and 68, for a weekly total of 7 under.

Bleacher Report

• Final standing: tie for 12th place, inside the top 15.

HITC

• FedEx Cup: remained No. 1, guaranteeing a $23 million bonus.

ESPN

• Greens hit: 65 % of attempts for the week.

ESPN

(Reported by ESPN, CBS Sports and Golf Channel.)

USA Today

Scheffler said the illness began the night after his St. Jude win. He described the blisters as “painful to grip the club” and noted his throat remained sore throughout the tournament. He acknowledged that “withdrawing was suggested” but emphasized his aversion to quitting mid-event. He prioritized rest over his usual workout, practice and warm-up routines, and said adrenaline during play helped his symptoms improve as the week progressed.

Heavy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) characterizes hand, foot and mouth disease as a contagious viral illness that spreads easily through bodily fluids, most commonly affecting children under five, though adults can contract it from infected children.

CBS Sports

• “That's part of my stubbornness, probably. That's probably a strength of mine and a weakness at times,” — Scottie Scheffler, ESPN.

ESPN

• “I actually almost caught myself shaking hands with Cam [Young] on 18, I would have felt really bad,” — Scottie Scheffler, GolfChannel.

Scottie Scheffler battles through hand, foot and mouth disease to finish 7 under at BMW

• “I got the hand, foot, mouth,” — Scottie Scheffler, CBS Sports.

CBS Sports

Scheffler’s decision to play through the illness preserved his FedEx Cup lead and positioned him for the Tour Championship, where all 30 qualifiers start at even par. He indicated that rest will be his primary focus before that event, acknowledging that his throat may still need time to clear. Medical experts caution that recovery may be slower without a full rest period.

ESPN