Update: Scottie Scheffler has teed off for the second round of the PGA Championship after being arrested by Louisville police and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, reckless driving, and two other charges. According to the police report, Officer Bryan Gillis said Scheffler dragged him to the ground after the golfer refused his instructions.
From the Scottie Scheffler police report: the arresting officer, Bryan Gillis, says that Scheffler disobeyed his orders and then dragged him to the ground with his car causing injuries to the officer and his clothing. pic.twitter.com/oh5eOT0ZuY
— Michael Eaves (@michaeleaves) May 17, 2024
The incident unfolded early Friday morning after a traffic accident caused a backup on the road leading to Valhalla Golf Club.
Scheffler spoke to ESPN's Jeff Darlington after returning to the course to begin his second round.
“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. 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, Scheffler said in a statement. "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.”
Scheffler started his second round at the 10th tee, arrived to cheers from the crowd, and began his round with two birdies through four holes.
ESPN's Jeff Darlington is reported that the world's top-ranked golfer, Scottie Scheffler, was detained by police after a misunderstanding regarding the traffic flow heading into Valhalla Golf Club.
Breaking News: World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has been detained by police in handcuffs after a misunderstanding with traffic flow led to his attempt to drive past a police officer into Valhalla Golf Club. The police officer attempted to attach himself to Scheffler’s car,…
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 17, 2024
Darlington has also posted video of the incident to X:
Here is video that I took of Scheffler being arrested: https://t.co/8UPZKvPCCfpic.twitter.com/9Tbp2tyrJh
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 17, 2024
Round 2 of the 2024 PGA Championship was delayed due to a serious accident near the course. According to the Louisville Metro Police Department, a man was fatally struck by a shuttle bus outside Valhalla Golf Club around 5 a.m. ET on Friday.
Scheffler was booked around 7:30 p.m. ET and released roughly an hour later. He is charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding an officer directing traffic.
Second-round play was moved to 8:35 a.m. ET due to the ongoing traffic issue. Scheffler was originally scheduled to tee off at 8:48 a.m. ET on Friday ahead of the second-round delay. His tee-time has been moved to 10:08 ET, according to multiple reports and he is reportedly headed back to Valhalla Golf Club.
Scottie Scheffler’s new tee time is 10:08 a.m.
Worth noting: Rule 5.3a in the Rules of Golf under “When to Start Round” lists “Exception 3 — Committee Decides that Exceptional Circumstances Prevented You from Starting on Time.” Under this provision, there is no breach of rule…
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) May 17, 2024
If Scheffler is unable to make his tee-time, he could be disqualified for the tournament depending on the PGA of America's decision.
Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, opened his PGA Championship with a four-under par, 67, in Thursday's first round.
Heading into Friday's second round, Scheffler has the second-best odds to win the PGA Championship at +400, trailing only tournament leader Xander Schauffele (+250). He is the biggest liability to win the tournament, according to BetMGM PR Manager John Ewing.
