LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Scottie Scheffler started his second round of the PGA Championship with a birdie on Friday hours after he was arrested in an early-morning traffic incident outside the tournament gates.
The world’s top-ranked men’s golfer arrived at Valhalla Golf Club at about 9:12 a.m. ET with a police escort. Scheffler teed off on No. 10 at about 10:08 a.m., with galleries about 10-12 people deep surrounding the tee. His first shot went right of the fairway, but he bounced back and hit a wedge to about three feet and made birdie at the par-5 hole.
Court records show that the reigning Masters champion was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, as well as third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic. The incident followed a pedestrian fatality, causing a major traffic jam in which the incident with Scheffler occurred.
Scheffler released a statement on Instagram after arriving at the course.
“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers,” he said. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.
“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”
All eyes were on Scheffler after he arrived at the course. He appeared to be trying to keep a normal routine.
As Scheffler warmed up on the range, Jon Rahm hugged him. Brendon Todd showed Scheffler a picture and they both laughed. Scheffler looked at his phone several times and practised with five clubs or so.
The American then hit four bunker shots and eight long putts as his tee-time approached.
Near the practice green, a young boy was wearing a shirt saying ‘Scottie’s No. 1 fan.” Scheffler pointed at the kid and said “like your shirt.”
As he moved to the tee at No. 10, fans started chanting “Scottie, Scottie.” One fan yelled “we got your back, Scottie.”
The PGA Championship put out a statement saying “a worker with one of our vendors was tragically struck and killed by a shuttle bus outside Valhalla Golf Club.
“This is heartbreaking to all of us involved with the PGA Championship.”
Meanwhile, Scheffler’s attorney says the arrest was “a big misunderstanding.”
“We will litigate the case as it goes,” attorney Steve Romines told The Associated Press.
The second round of the major was delayed by more than an hour at Valhalla Golf Club.
Scheffler’s tee-time was pushed back from 8:48 a.m.
The PGA of America sent out an alert at 6:15 a.m. ET saying there was a “serious accident” near the course. Louisville PD issued a statement at about 5 a.m. saying it had responded to a call of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian and a bus.
“Our preliminary investigation found that an adult male pedestrian was crossing Shelbyville Road south to north when he was struck by a shuttle bus that was traveling eastbound in the compulsory centre lane dedicated for buses. As a result, the pedestrian received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. The LMPD Traffic Unit is investigating,” the statement said.
About 20 minutes after the PGA of America announced play was delayed, ESPN reported Scheffler was detained by police due to a “misunderstanding with traffic flow.”
Via X (formerly Twitter), ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington said Scheffler attempted to drive past a police officer into Valhalla and the officer “attached himself” to Scheffler’s car just after 6 a.m.
Scheffler stopped his vehicle – a clearly-labeled Lexus SUV courtesy car that all players received – at the entrance of the golf course before being “screamed” at by the police officer.
“Right now he’s going to jail. He’s going to jail. And there ain’t nothing you can do about it,” a police officer was seen saying in a video posted by Darlington.
Scheffler exited the car before being “shoved” by the police officer and immediately put into handcuffs, per ESPN, and detained in the back of a police car.
“The main thing is he was proceeding exactly as he was directed in a marked vehicle with credentials,” Romines said. “He didn’t do anything intentionally wrong.”
The police statement, obtained by Michael Eaves of ESPN, said Scheffler was in the eastbound lanes before going into the westbound lanes to avoid traffic. The report says a police officer stopped Scheffler and attempted to give instructions, but Scheffler didn’t comply and accelerated, hitting the officer.
The police officer, according to the report suffered “pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knee.” The officer was transported to hospital for further treatment.
Arraignment has been scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m., less than 48 hours after the tournament ends.
Darlington provided details of the arrest.
“Scheffler was then walked over to the police car, placed in the back, in handcuffs, very stunned about what was happening, looked toward me as he was in those handcuffs and said, ‘Please help me,’” Darlington said. “He very clearly did not know what was happening in the situation. It moved very quickly, very rapidly, very aggressively.”
Darlington said police were not sure who Scheffler was.
Darlington said another police officer later approached with a notepad and asked if he knew the name of the person they put in handcuffs.
Scheffler was wearing an orange jail shirt for a police mugshot and was booked at 7:28 a.m.
At about 7:45 a.m., the PGA of America announced the second round would begin at 8:35 a.m. with starting times delayed by one hour and 20 minutes.
Scheffler opened with a 4-under 67 and was five shots out of the lead as he tries to become only the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two majors of the year.
— with files from AP.
