A last-ditch opportunity for the bubble players, this year’s fall season saw many scrambling for last-minute eligibility for the upcoming season. Still, the high-stakes events couldn’t muster the same viewership the Tour usually sees. The reason is the absence of notable names like Scottie Scheffler. His hiatus from the PGA Tour’s off-season was an expensive endeavor. It drew certain criticism, but Scheffler remained silent. That is, until now.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Scheffler finally cleared the air about where he actually was when several of his colleagues struggled on the Tour’s toughest courses. As surprising as it may sound, he was at the gym.

“Kind of getting my strength back and my body back where it needs to be. Going into this off-season, I was trying to get back in the gym,” Scheffler told McAfee. “Do a lot more recovery stuff than I would normally do.”

If you raised your eyebrows at Scheffler’s admission, you might not be alone. Inarguably the most successful player on the PGA Tour, the best in the world, in fact, what had prompted Mr. Inevitable to suddenly make rounds in the gym? Well, if you rewind the pages, you’ll remember a sort of freak injury Scheffler suffered a year ago or so.

“Last offseason with the hand injury kind of set me back a little bit,” he shares. “And going into the year, I felt like I battled a little bit more staying healthy than I would have liked to.”

Around the same time last year, Scottie Scheffler was at home preparing dinner when the incident occurred. A wine glass broke, which punctured his palm. Shards of glass were stuck deep inside, which required him to undergo surgery. As soon as he was out of the hospital, he had to work on his grip of the club.

Naturally, this spilled over into his 2025 season. Fresh off the injury, Scottie Scheffler missed several events, including the season opener, The Sentry, and then The American Express. His first event of the year was in February at the AT&T Pebble Beach, in which he settled for a decent T9. His hiatus was more like a cautious approach, in case something went wrong, which eventually happened.

“Really try and get some of that inflammation out of my body and continue to get stronger,” Scheffler added.

Scheffler hasn’t ever sported abs or biceps like Rory McIlroy, who sits a rank below him, or even Bryson DeChambeau, his Ryder Cup mate. Scheffler has been content with his body. He joked that he doesn’t necessarily want a ripped physique, but rather something that doesn’t “change the fabric of the things” he’s done.

“I don’t want to drastically change that, but I want to continue to get healthier,” Scheffler said. “I want to make sure that I’m putting myself in a position where I can try and play this game for a long time. That’s kind of been the focus this offseason, especially the last…month or so.”

So if you were wondering where the world’s best golfer was, he was busy figuring out how to keep his body intact for the years ahead. His last appearance was at the Ryder Cup, after which he appeared on the Hero World Challenge and finished T4.

So far, the approach has worked, winning feats over players with a more gym-like body. On The Pat McAfee Show, he had shared his secret of how he’s doing it.

Top Stories

Tiger Woods & Co. Now Have to Think Twice Before Trash-Talking at TGL Following New Update

Lexi Thompson Branded ‘Self-Centered’ After Retirement Decision Led to Chaos & Confusion

Donald Trump’s Son Issues Statement on PGA Tour’s $20M Cadillac Championship Announcement

Decades-Old Artillery Found at Open Venue Sparks Emergency Evacuation

Scottie Scheffler’s mantra for rigorous play

Of the 20 events that Scottie Scheffler played this season, he missed the cut in none. That streak could be attributed to the methodical approach that he has followed throughout his career, something he calls a “point of emphasis.”

I always have one sort of point of emphasis that I’m looking at,” Scottie told Pat McAfee. “Some years, I wanted to get stronger in the gym. Some years I want to improve my diet. Other years, it’s been my putting or creating more shots going into the green.”

This mostly depends on the requirements for that particular year. Basically, wherever he lacks, he will focus more on that aspect. During his workouts and practices, there’s just one area that he will put extra emphasis on.

Scheffler works with Dr. Troy Van Biezen, his longtime performance coach, with prime focus on mobility and stability. These can include lunges with twists, resistance training, and hip mobility drills. The aim is to build a “fourth-round endurance,” which will then eventually add to his playing for more years. Scheffler admits that the PGA Tour has seen a surge of talent that is highly competitive.

“Golf’s one of those games where you’re just trying to perfect a game that is impossible to perfect,” he remarked. “And no matter what, you can always try to get better.”

That’s how winners are built.