Scottie Scheffler says 'stupid' hand injury will not impact game

World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler has stated that a hand injury sustained on Christmas Day due to a "stupid" act will not negatively impact his game. The 28-year-old enjoyed a career-best 2024, winning the Masters, the Players Championship, and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Scheffler suffered a severe cut to his right palm after accidentally breaking a wine glass, requiring surgery. He has recovered from the procedure and is scheduled to make his 2024 debut at this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. When asked if he had any concerns about the potential impact of the surgery, he stated definitively, "Not at all."

"I was immediately mad at myself after it happened because I was like, 'Man, that was stupid,' but when you're in the moment, you're not thinking about it too much," the two-time Masters champion added. "It wasn't that bad of an injury, but I knew I hurt something because my hand wouldn't move very well, and if it did, it hurt. So I kind of knew something was wrong."

Scheffler missed two tournaments due to the injury, but he does not plan to add extra events to make up for the loss. "Missing those two tournaments wasn't fun; I enjoy playing in those events," he said. "Just because I missed two tournaments, I don't want to change my schedule. If I feel like I need to add an event to get some extra reps, I'll look into it."

Scheffler finished in a tie for sixth at last year's Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which was reduced to three rounds due to inclement weather. The American will be paired with amateur David Abeles and is scheduled to tee off at 17:01 GMT on Thursday at the Spyglass Hill course.