Scottie Scheffler’s bid to defend his FedEx Cup title has been hit by an unexpected health concern after the world No. 1 revealed that he was battling hand, foot and mouth disease during the BMW Championship.
Scheffler arrived at Bellerive Country Club with enormous expectations. The reigning FedEx Cup champion had just produced a dominant eight-shot victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, immediately reminding the rest of the field why he remains the player to beat.
But his impressive victory in Memphis was followed by a difficult week in St. Louis.
Scheffler revealed after the BMW Championship that he had been dealing with a painful illness that affected his hands and feet. The condition left him with blisters and made an already demanding tournament considerably more difficult.
The revelation came after he completed the BMW Championship, where he finished outside the top 10 despite entering the tournament as the FedExCup No. 1 seed.
Scheffler Reveals What He Was Battling
Scheffler’s health problems became apparent during the opening round when he appeared unwell and did not conduct his normal post-round media duties.
He later confirmed that he had been dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease.
The illness caused blisters on his hands and feet, creating an obvious problem for a professional golfer who needs to maintain a consistent grip and move comfortably around a golf course for four days.
Speaking after the tournament, Scheffler described the week as frustrating and explained that he was still dealing with the effects of the illness.
The revelation provided important context for a performance that otherwise seemed surprisingly ordinary from the world’s top-ranked golfer.
Only days earlier, Scheffler had looked virtually unstoppable.
From Eight-Shot Winner to Health Struggle
The timing could hardly have been more unfortunate.
Scheffler entered the FedExCup Playoffs with questions surrounding his form despite remaining the dominant player in the standings.
His season had been unusually quiet by his extraordinary standards. Before the St. Jude Championship, he had won only once in 2026, at The American Express in January.
Then everything changed in Memphis.
Scheffler produced one of the most dominant performances of his career, winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship by eight shots. He also fired a spectacular 61 during the tournament, showing the kind of scoring ability that had made him the world’s No. 1 player.
That victory gave him enormous momentum heading into the BMW Championship.
But instead of continuing that run, Scheffler arrived in St. Louis fighting an illness.
A Difficult Week at Bellerive
The BMW Championship was always going to be demanding.
Bellerive Country Club presented a difficult test, with the 50-player field competing for valuable FedExCup points and positions in the season-ending Tour Championship.
Scheffler’s opening round was particularly difficult.
He shot a two-over 72 and found himself near the bottom of the leaderboard. His round included four bogeys on the front nine before he recovered somewhat on the back nine.
The performance was surprising given his recent form.
But his health now provides a clearer explanation.
Scheffler was not simply struggling with his swing or putting.
He was trying to compete while dealing with an illness that was causing painful symptoms on his hands and feet.
Why the Illness Was Particularly Problematic for a Golfer
Hand, foot and mouth disease is particularly inconvenient for someone competing in professional golf.
A golfer relies heavily on their hands throughout every round. The grip has to remain stable, and even a small amount of discomfort can affect confidence when standing over a shot.
The feet are equally important.
Golfers walk several miles during a tournament round, often across uneven terrain. Blisters or painful spots on the feet can make walking uncomfortable and potentially affect a player’s stance and balance.
For Scheffler, the combination created a difficult situation.
He still had to compete against the best players in the world while dealing with symptoms that could affect both his hands and his feet.
Scheffler Refused to Use It as an Excuse
Despite the circumstances, Scheffler did not appear interested in making his illness an excuse.
That attitude is consistent with the approach he has displayed throughout his career.
Instead of withdrawing, he continued to compete and completed the BMW Championship.
That decision demonstrated how important the FedExCup Playoffs are to Scheffler.
After winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, he had already established a commanding position in the FedExCup standings. He had also secured the No. 1 seed heading into the Tour Championship.
But the BMW Championship still mattered because it was the final event before the 30-player field was finalized for East Lake.
Scheffler’s position meant he was guaranteed a place, but the tournament remained an opportunity to maintain momentum heading into the final week.
The FedEx Cup Title Is Still Within Reach
The biggest positive for Scheffler is that his health problem did not eliminate him from the FedExCup race.
He remains the player to beat heading into the Tour Championship.
The top 30 players advanced to the season finale at East Lake, and Scheffler is among the headline names alongside Wyndham Clark and Rory McIlroy.
The Tour Championship will therefore provide Scheffler with another opportunity to finish his season in spectacular fashion.
However, his health will now be one of the biggest storylines.
The question is whether he will have enough time to fully recover before the tournament begins.
A Potential Concern for His Title Defense
Scheffler’s FedExCup title defense was supposed to be one of the biggest storylines of the playoffs.
His dominant victory at the St. Jude Championship only strengthened expectations that he could repeat the feat.
Instead, the BMW Championship introduced an unexpected complication.
The illness means Scheffler now has to focus not only on his golf but also on recovering physically before the season finale.
That could be particularly important because the Tour Championship demands four rounds of high-pressure golf against the strongest remaining field of the season.
There will be little room for a player to operate below full strength.
Scheffler Has Already Proven He Can Bounce Back
There is, however, plenty of reason for Scheffler’s supporters to remain optimistic.
The world No. 1 has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to respond after disappointing performances.
His eight-shot victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship is the clearest recent example.
Before that tournament, Scheffler had gone through an unusually long period without a victory by his standards.
Rather than allowing the frustration to affect him, he responded with one of his most dominant performances of the year.
That mentality could prove crucial again.
If Scheffler can recover fully before East Lake, he will once again be one of the favorites to win the FedExCup.
The Timing Could Be Crucial
Scheffler now has a short window to recover before the final event.
That makes his health update particularly important.
The most encouraging aspect is that he was able to finish the BMW Championship despite the illness.
But competing through an illness and arriving at the Tour Championship fully recovered are two very different things.
Scheffler will need his hands and feet to recover, particularly because both are essential to his ability to swing the club and navigate the course.
The hope will be that the symptoms improve significantly before the opening round.
Another Chapter in an Extraordinary Season
Even with the health setback, Scheffler’s 2026 season remains remarkable.
He has already won multiple tournaments, returned to the top of the FedExCup standings and produced a statement victory at the St. Jude Championship.
He has also continued to occupy the No. 1 position in the world.
Now he has another major challenge.
Can he recover quickly enough to make another serious run at the FedExCup?
The answer could determine how the 2026 season is ultimately remembered.
Scheffler’s Road to East Lake
The BMW Championship may not have gone according to plan, but Scheffler accomplished the most important objective: he advanced to the Tour Championship.
His health will now take center stage.
After revealing that he had been battling hand, foot and mouth disease and dealing with painful blisters, Scheffler’s priority will be recovery.
For a player who has spent much of his career setting an extraordinary standard for consistency, seeing him struggle physically is a rare sight.
But Scheffler has already shown that setbacks rarely keep him down for long.
He will head to East Lake still carrying the status of FedExCup favorite and defending champion.
The biggest question is no longer whether Scottie Scheffler can play at an elite level.
It is whether his body will allow him to do it at the most important moment of the season.
After an unexpected health scare in St. Louis, the golf world will be watching closely to see whether the world’s No. 1 player can recover in time for one final push toward another FedExCup title.
