World No 1 Scottie Scheffler has surgery after freak Christmas dinner injury

The men’s world No 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has had surgery on a hand injury he sustained while cooking Christmas dinner. The 28-year-old American has been forced to withdraw from the first tournament of the season, next week’s the Sentry in Hawaii, after cutting his right hand on broken glass.

The PGA Tour said: “World No 1 and 2024 FedEx Cup Champion Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opening tournament, the Sentry, which will take place next week, 2-5 January at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui,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, who won seven PGA Tour titles last year, hopes to be back in action at the American Express tournament on 16 January.

His manager, Blake Smith, said: “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.

“He has been told that he should be back to 100% in three to four weeks. Unfortunately, he will have to withdraw from the Sentry. His next scheduled tournament is the American Express.”

Scheffler is not the only golfer to have suffered misfortune in recent days with Norway’s Viktor Hovland taking to his Instagram account to post an X-ray which appeared to show his little toe pointing at an alarming angle. The image was accompanied by the message: “Bed frame 1-0 me.”

Responding to Hovland’s message, 2021 Open winner Collin Morikawa said: “I’m wrapping myself in some bubble wrap on the way to Hawaii.”