Scottie Scheffler’s Tour Championship Push Amid Health Setback and a Historic Earnings Chase

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the 2026 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club while recovering from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). He sits $608,505 behind Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour’s all-time official career earnings list, a gap that could close with a strong finish in the season-ending event.

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Scheffler’s illness surfaced during the first round of the BMW Championship, where he posted a 73 with three consecutive bogeys – his first such stretch since the 2022 U.S. Open. He disclosed that HFMD had caused sores in his throat and blisters on his hands and feet, a risk he attributed to his two-year-old twins’ daycare.

USA Today

The Tour Championship arrives amid a structural change announced on August 25. Starting in 2028, the competition will shift to a two-week, 32-player match-play format after an initial stroke-play cut of the top 90 players.

The Hindu

• Career earnings gap: Woods $120,999,166 vs. Scheffler $120,390,661.

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• BMW Championship earnings: $426,250 for a T-12 finish, raising Scheffler’s career total to $120,390,661.

Newsweek

• Scoring average: 67.96 this season, the lowest season average on the Tour since 1983.

USA Today

• FedExCup rank: Entered the Tour Championship ranked first for the fifth time, the most in FedExCup history.

Newsweek

• Purse: $40 million total, $10 million for the winner and $5 million for solo second place. A 13th-place finish would be sufficient for Scheffler to surpass Woods’ earnings total.

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Scheffler told reporters he was “at like 95 percent” and that the remaining throat soreness would not hinder his play. Gary Woodland praised Scheffler’s “stubbornness” in playing with hand blisters.

USA Today

• “The conclusion of the season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there,” — Tiger Woods

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• “When I talk about competitive instincts and about intensity each week, that's stuff that I learned just by watching Tiger,” — Scottie Scheffler

Newsweek

• “I was like, ‘Are you OK? Are you fine? Are you feeling better?’” — Rory McIlroy

USA Today

Scheffler’s performance will determine whether he can eclipse Woods’ earnings record, a milestone that would reshape the PGA Tour’s historical leaderboard. His ability to compete while managing HFMD highlights the physical resilience required at the sport’s highest level. The upcoming format shift will alter the competitive dynamics of the Tour Championship and future legacy battles.

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The Tour Championship begins this week at East Lake Golf Club. Scheffler’s final standing will decide if he overtakes Woods on the career earnings list. The new match-play format is slated to debut in 2028, following the August 25 announcement.

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