PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Scottie Scheffler recently expressed his frustrations about missing two tournaments while recovering from an injury sustained while preparing ravioli at home. He punctured his right palm with glass, an incident he described as unfortunate but was grateful it wasn’t more severe.
On Tuesday, Scheffler explained the circumstances surrounding his injury, which occurred while cooking for a festive meal. Ahead of his return to the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a premier event featuring a field of 80 players along with amateur partners in the initial rounds at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, he trained hard in the cold weather of Dallas last week to ensure he was fit to compete.
Having played at Cypress Point on Monday and Pebble Beach on Tuesday, he was relieved to swing freely without any bandaging on his hand.
Reflecting on the fateful cooking incident, Scheffler shared that he and his family attempted to make homemade ravioli from scratch but lacked the appropriate kitchen tools in their rental house. In searching for a solution, he inadvertently grabbed a wine glass, which unfortunately shattered and resulted in his injury. “I had my hand on top and it broke,” he recalled. “I’ve heard so many horror stories since, so be careful. … It broke, and the stem kind of got me in the hand. I’ve got to live my life, and accidents happen. It could have been a lot worse.” He further noted that another person experienced a much more severe injury from a similar accident, which underscored his relief.
Despite this incident, Scheffler’s past year was remarkable, highlighted by his seven PGA Tour titles, a second green jacket, and an Olympic gold medal. Rory McIlroy praised Scheffler’s consistency, stating, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a golfer play as many bogey-free rounds as Scottie. He doesn’t make mistakes.” When asked about Scheffler’s cooking mishap, McIlroy humorously mused that with Scheffler’s earnings, he might as well hire a chef.
In lighthearted response, Scheffler mentioned his wife, Meredith, proudly noting, “She’s pretty cute,” in reference to her role in their kitchen.
Scheffler sported a small, clear bandage from surgery to remove glass shards from his palm but downplayed any discomfort. He had to sit out The Sentry at Kapalua, a tournament he enjoys since it helps him shake off any off-season rust, and The American Express, another favorite due to its favorable weather and birdie opportunities.
“Missing those events is not fun,” he admitted, expressing the added frustration of watching golf on television while sidelined from participation.
He only confirmed his entry into Pebble Beach on Friday after rigorous practice sessions, aimed at ensuring his hand was ready for competition. “Tried to work out some of that soreness and the scar tissue after surgery,” he explained. He noticed improvement every day leading up to the tournament.
The season ahead will be challenging as he aims to replicate last year’s success, where he led the PGA Tour with seven wins, a feat not achieved since Tiger Woods in 2007. Notably absent from Pebble Beach is Xander Schauffele, the PGA and British Open champion, due to a rib injury, but the tournament field remains strong and includes many top players.
“It’s a little weird making it this late in the year,” he acknowledged, but ultimately was glad to be back competing.
