Sports

Police Handcuff, Arrest Scottie Scheffler Prior To Start Of PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, was detained Friday by the Louisville Metro Police while trying to drive into the Valhalla Golf Club. [Twitter/Screenshot/Public — @ESPNAusNZ]

[Twitter/Screenshot/Public — @ESPNAusNZ]

Andrew Powell Sports and Entertainment Blogger
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Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, was detained Friday morning by the Louisville Metro Police while attempting to drive into the Valhalla Golf Club prior to the second round of the PGA Championship, according to ESPN.

At around 5:00 a.m. local time, traffic near the golf course was halted because of a man being hit and killed by a shuttle bus, per the outlet. (RELATED: It Took Only Two Strokes For Golf Phenom To Prove Why He’s Cooking On Whole New Level)

In an attempt to drive around the scene of the crash, Scheffler went on a median, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. The reporter witnessed the incident. Scheffler then received instruction from a police officer to stop his vehicle. However, the golf star continued on for about 10-20 yards in the way of the Valhalla entrance, per the outlet.

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During the incident, a police officer attached himself to Scheffler’s car, doing so on the side of it. As he was heading into the entrance of Valhalla, Scheffler then stopped his vehicle, according to the report.

Scheffler rolled down his window about 20-30 seconds after the fact, with the officer grabbing the No. 1-ranked golfer by the arm to pull him out of his car, according to ESPN’s Darlington. The cop reached into Scheffler’s car to open the door, and after Scheffler was removed, he was placed in handcuffs after being pushed against the vehicle.

Authorities charged the golf star with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic, The New York Times reported.

Following his arrest, Scheffler released a statement saying he “never intended to disregard” any instructions from authorities.

“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,” he said. “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.”