Scottie Scheffler entered the third round of the PGA Championship in much calmer fashion following his dramatic arrest at Valhalla on Friday morning.
Scheffler, the current world number one, was pushed into a police car and detained while heading to the club for the second round of the major championship, with notable footage online showing him being led away by handcuffed police officers.
The 27-year-old was booked into jail and had his mugshot taken in an orange jumpsuit before returning to Valhalla after his release. He now faces four criminal charges, including second-degree assault on a police officer, after allegedly injuring a detective by accelerating his vehicle instead of stopping as instructed.
He enjoyed an incredible second round under the circumstances, making six birdies and moving up to third place in the standings, before breaking his silence on the arrest at a press conference, where he insisted it was all a “big misunderstanding”.
And after Friday morning’s unprecedented drama, Scheffler returned to Valhalla on Saturday ahead of what should be an easier third round of the tournament.
Scottie Scheffler entered the third round of the PGA Championship more smoothly on Saturday
The world number one seemed in good spirits despite his dramatic arrest in Valhalla on Friday.
Scheffler was arrested while entering Valhalla in a surprising series of events
He eventually returned after being released and enjoyed an excellent second round.
He seemed in good spirits as he headed to the practice green, having endured a rollercoaster ride Friday that led to time in a jail cell.
After heavy fog in Louisville delayed the start of the third round on Saturday, Scheffler is scheduled to tee off at 1:29 p.m. ET along with Thomas Detry and Mark Hubbard.
However, he will be without his trusted caddie, Ted Scott, who briefly left Louisville to attend his daughter’s high school graduation.
Scheffler accelerated and dragged Detective Bryan Gillis to the ground after he was ordered to stop his car outside Valhalla Golf Club, according to a police citation.
Gillis was rushed to hospital after being dragged to the ground and left with “pain, swelling and abrasion” as the golf star drove forward, while his $80 uniform pants were also said to have been damaged “beyond possibility.” repair”.
The incident involving Scheffler occurred after the second round of the PGA Championship was delayed Friday due to a fatal accident near the club.
A pedestrian was hit and killed by a bus outside the golf course. Scheffler was not involved in the accident, but was stuck in a huge traffic jam around Valhalla.
Scheffler began his long-awaited press conference by paying tribute to the PGA Championship salesman, later named John Mills, who died when he was hit by a bus at 5 a.m. on Friday morning.
“One day he heads to the golf course to watch a tournament,” Scheffler said. ‘A few moments later, he tries to cross the street and is no longer with us. I can’t imagine what they’re going through, my heart, you know, I feel for them. I’m sorry.’
In stunning footage the two-time Masters winner is seen being led to a police car.
Police detained him in handcuffs outside the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning.
Scheffler is accused of injuring Detective Bryan Gillis (pictured) by speeding his car.
But the golf star insists the whole situation was simply a “big misunderstanding.”
He then told the incredible story of how he spent the first part of the morning “stretching in a jail cell,” joking, “That was a first for me.”
“Man, I really don’t know…my head is still spinning,” he admitted. ‘He was so confused by what was happening at that moment. He didn’t know what time it was, he didn’t know what was happening.
“I was sitting in the holding cell and there was a TV there so I could watch myself on ESPN TV. I was thinking about my release time… and then I lay down and started stretching a little bit once I slowed down a little bit.” cardiac.’
According to ESPN, Scheffler was detained by Louisville police at 6:01 a.m. He had been trying to enter the field, and the media said that players would be allowed through the gates, even when everyone else was excluded.
News of his arrest broke almost immediately and he was booked into the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections at 7:28 am. He had to put on an orange jumpsuit before being released at 8.40am.
Scheffler now faces the following charges, according to Wave3:
- Second-degree assault on a police officer, which is a felony
- Criminal mischief in the third degree
- Ignoring traffic signals from an officer directing traffic
Following the fatal accident on the outskirts of Valhalla, Scheffler allegedly attempted to avoid what he believed to be security personnel with his vehicle. In fact, it was the police who told him to stop.
When he didn’t, ESPN claims that an officer, now understood to be Detective Gillis, attempted to hold on to his car as he drove another 10 meters before stopping.
Gillis then allegedly grabbed his car and tried to get him out before he opened the door. Scheffler was eventually dragged from the vehicle, pushed against it and handcuffed, before being taken away and jailed.