ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the FedExCup and the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 01, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)
Golf sensation Scottie Scheffler is set to be sidelined for “three to four weeks” following a bizarre hand injury incurred on Christmas Day. The top-ranked golfer underwent surgery after shards of broken glass became lodged in his palm.
The PGA Tour has confirmed that Scheffler will miss the upcoming Sentry tournament, scheduled for next week, with an expected return by the month’s end.
As the PGA Tour kicks off a new year, concerns mount over Scheffler’s injury. The 28 year old two-time major champion had a stellar run in 2024, clinching victories at the Players Championship, the Masters, the Olympics, the Tour Championship, and several other high-profile events.
The PGA Tour released a statement saying: “World No 1 and 2024 FedEx Cup Champion Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opening tournament, The Sentry, which will take place next week, 2-5 January at The Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii.”
Scheffler’s manager, Blake Smith, disclosed: “On Christmas Day while preparing dinner, Scottie sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass. Small glass fragments remained in the palm which required surgery.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 14: Scottie Scheffler of the United States poses with the Masters trophy after winning the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)
“He has been told that he should be back to 100 per cent in three to four weeks. Unfortunately, he will have to withdraw from The Sentry. His next scheduled tournament is The American Express (scheduled for January 16-19).”
Scheffler, Team USA’s Ryder Cup hero from 2021, has been on a winning spree this year. The golf sensation clinched seven PGA Tour events in 2024, including prestigious titles such as the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament.
He also successfully defended his Hero World Challenge title, cementing his position as the world’s top golfer. Looking ahead, Scheffler is tipped to be a major contender in 2025, with eyes set on peak fitness for the Masters in April.
“I feel like I’ve lived almost a full lifetime in this one year,” Scheffler confessed to journalists following his Tour Championship triumph in September. “It’s been nuts… I’m exhausted right now. There’s really no other way around it. I’m just really, really tired.”
Despite Scheffler’s impressive haul in 2024, some pundits argue that Xander Schauffele had the superior season, bagging two majors including the PGA Championship and Open Championship, outdoing Scheffler in that department.
Off the green, Scheffler celebrated the birth of his first child, Bennett, in May. However, he faced a legal challenge when he was arrested and charged before the second round of the PGA Championship.
Fortunately for Scheffler, all charges were subsequently dropped. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell confirmed: “Mr Scheffler’s characterisation that this was a big misunderstanding is corroborated by the evidence.”