Louisville (United States) (AFP) – Golf world number one Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed and arrested by police early Friday after allegedly trying to drive around traffic controls outside the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Scheffler was detained by a Louisville Metro police officer when he drove on curbing to try and get around an accident to get into the golf course, where he was scheduled to compete in the second round of the major tournament Friday morning.
Louisville’s WAVE-TV news and Golf Digest reported Scheffler was charged with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported Scheffler was released on his own recognizance.
Scheffler arrived at Valhalla’s clubhouse about 30 minutes after his release and just under an hour before his 10:08 a.m.(1408 GMT) start time off the 10th tee for the second round, which began after an 80-minute delay due to the accident.
As Scheffler exited a vehicle, reportedly driven by the owner of Valhalla Golf Club, and walked through the clubhouse front door, he was asked for a comment by ESPN reporter Marty Smith.
“I love you, Marty,” Scheffler said.
Scheffler, trying to become the first player since 2015 to win the first two majors in a calendar year, would have time to practice putting and drives before teeing off.
Police had been dealing with traffic congestion from an earlier accident that Scheffler was not involved in, one in which a pedestrian was killed by a vehicle, according to witnesses and US media reports.
SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported Scheffler was booked into custody by police at 7:38 a.m.while Scheffler’s mugshot in an orange jumpsuit was posted by the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington posted a video on X of Scheffler, wearing shorts and T-shirt, with his hands held behind his back, being led away by police in the pre-dawn incident.
As police lights flashed in the dark, officers shouted at witnesses to stand back, one declaring about Scheffler, “right now, he’s going to jail and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Darlington said the incident was a misunderstanding over traffic flow and a police officer had screamed at Scheffler to exit his car, then shoved Scheffler against the vehicle and placed him in handcuffs before being helped into the back seats of a police car.
Darlington said Scheffler was unaware a person at the entrance was a police officer because they were clad in a yellow rain poncho.
The second round of the year’s second major tournament teed off 80 minutes late due to the traffic accident that clogged roads leading to the course.
Rainy conditions soaked the course as players resumed competition.
– Four wins in five tries –
Scheffler, who last month won his second Masters title in three years, had been the feel-good story of the week at Valhalla, hoping to win his third career major title a week after becoming a father for the first time.
His wife, Meredith, gave birth to son Bennett nine days ago.
Scheffler fired a four-under par 67 in Thursday’s opening round, topped by an amazing 167-yard, one-bounce eagle from the fairway on the first hole with a 9-iron.
That left him five strokes adrift of PGA Championship leader Xander Schauffele, the world number three who matched the lowest round in major golf history with a 62 Thursday.
The 27-year-old Scheffler is playing alongside two other reigning major champions, 2023 US Open winner Wyndham Clark and 2023 British Open winner Brian Harman.
Scheffler has won four of his past five starts, capturing titles at Bay Hill and the Players in March, losing in a playoff at the Houston Open, then winning the Masters and Heritage crowns last month.
He took off the past three weeks to be at home with his wife ahead of their son’s birth.
© 2024 AFP
