Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1, was seen wincing in pain and holding his lower back after playing a shot at the BMW Championship. However, he has played down the injury.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, has reassured fans that he is “fine” despite wincing in pain from a back injury during the BMW Championship.
The golf star was seen grimacing and clutching his lower back after hitting his ball off the fairway with a 5-iron on the 17th at Castle Pines Golf Club. This sight alarmed PGA Tour and golf fans globally, as it echoed Tiger Woods’ frequent lower back grabs, which eventually derailed his career.
However, Scheffler downplayed his discomfort, attributing it to his back being more troublesome than usual on Thursday.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Scheffler said. “I woke up just a little sore this morning. I had trouble loosening it up. With it being a little bit tight, it was hard for me to get through it, and I was laboring most of the day to get through the ball.
“On 17, I was trying to hit a high draw, and that’s a shot where I’ve really got to use a big turn, big motion. I just felt it a little bit. But other than that, all good.”
Scheffler also stated that his recovery routine would remain unchanged, adding: “Maybe I hit a few too many balls yesterday or something. It was just a little sore. I’m sure I’ll get some ice on it and stuff. I’ll be totally fine [on Friday].”
The 28-year-old golfer managed to make par on the No. 17 hole, a result that left him frustrated given the par-5 challenge is seen as one of the easiest on the course. Scheffler was unable to get up and down from in front of the green and found himself almost 30 yards short of the hole, where he left his 5-iron.
He ended his round with a missed birdie putt on 18, finishing with a 1-under 69. The American is now five shots behind leader Keegan Bradley, who impressed as the 2025 Team USA Ryder Cup captain with a six-under round, leading the tournament by two ahead of competitors like Im Sung-Jae, Adam Scott, and others.
Scheffler is hoping to build on an already historic season. In 2024, he became the first player to secure six PGA Tour wins in a single year before July since Arnold Palmer, and he also added Olympic gold to his achievements in Paris.
If Scheffler clinches the BMW Championship, he will join Vijay Singh and Woods as the only golfers to have won seven or more tournaments in a single PGA Tour season in the modern era. Scheffler is set to tee off for his second round in Colorado on Friday, August 23.