Scottie Scheffler provides worrying health update ahead of FedEx Cup title bid

Scottie Scheffler heads into the Tour Championship as the man to beat — but the World No.1 has admitted he is still not 100% recovered after illness disrupted his week at the BMW Championship.

Scheffler finished tied 12th at Bellerive Country Club after closing with a second consecutive 68, but his performance came after a week in which he was battling hand, foot and mouth disease.

The illness struck on Monday night, just days after Scheffler had dismantled the field at the FedEx St Jude Championship to win by eight shots.

What followed in St. Louis was a week of trying to compete while dealing with painful blisters on his hands and feet, as well as a sore throat.

"It hit me pretty good all week. I'm still not a 100% now, but I'll get some rest now and hopefully that will help," Scheffler said after Sunday's round.

The condition made something as fundamental as gripping a golf club uncomfortable at the start of the tournament.

Scheffler admitted he had even been advised to withdraw but chose to continue, partly because of the form he had carried into the BMW Championship.

"If I was smarter maybe I would have pulled out," he said. 

"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 would still have a chance."

The American's decision ultimately produced a respectable result, but it came at the expense of preparation.

Scheffler said he had been prioritising rest rather than practising, working out or completing his usual pre-round warm-ups.

"The blisters on hands was probably the most challenging, just because it was painful to grip the club to start the week," he explained.

Despite the setback, Scheffler remains the FedEx Cup leader heading into East Lake, having done enough to retain top spot despite Wyndham Clark's BMW Championship victory.

The rankings matter little at East Lake, however, with all 30 players in with a chance to lift the FedEx Cup on Sunday.

The Tour Championship now presents Scheffler with the chance to cap another outstanding season by claiming the FedEx Cup for the second time in his career having won it in 2024. 

Rather than making any techinical changes to his game before Atlanta, the four-time major champion believes there is one obvious priority.

"Rest will be the best medicine," he said. 

The good news is that Scheffler reported his hands were feeling normal by Sunday, although his throat was still causing problems.

Watch Scheffler's comments in full here: 

If he can recover fully over the next few days, the rest of the field at East Lake could have a much tougher proposition on their hands.