It wasn’t just Bellerive Golf Course or his fellow PGA Tour golfers that Scottie Scheffler was battling with at the BMW Championship.
The world’s top-ranked golfer revealed on Sunday after finishing 12th at the tournament that he had been dealing with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease throughout the week, saying that it was difficult to grip his clubs.
“I got the hand, foot, mouth (disease). So you’ve got blisters on your hands, and in your throat, and on your feet. So, to start the week, it was pretty painful to grip the club,” Scheffler said.
What is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?
While HFMD is a common viral illness in children, it can affect people of any age. HFMD typically causes a low fever, skin rash and painful mouth sores, getting its name from the body parts that where it typically shows the most.
The Cleveland Clinic says that it is “very contagious,” but “not serious and will go away on its own within one to two weeks.”
Scheffler said that he considered pulling out of the tournament, but stubbornly played on.
“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’d still have a chance. But I think that’s part of my stubbornness, probably,” Scheffler said.
“That’s probably a strength of mine, and a weakness at times. I’ve never been one to pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it, that’s really frustrating for me.
“I definitely didn’t want to do that going into this week, even though it was suggested.”
Where did Scheffler get the disease?
While Scheffler didn’t say where he might’ve picked up the disease, he does have two young sons at home — two-year-old Bennett and Remy, who was born this past March, just days before the Masters.
Scheffler also didn’t speak about what precautions he might have taken in order to prevent the spread of HFMD at the tournament.
His caddie, Ted Scott, wasn’t pictured wearing gloves while carrying Scheffler’s clubs and the golfer didn’t appear to use any additional safety measures while on the court or when speaking to fellow golfers or the media.
Scheffler said that while his throat is still bothering him, his hands are feeling more normal.