Scottie Scheffler broke free of his shackles to remain in contention for PGA Championship glory, just hours after his dramatic arrest Friday morning.
The world number one was jailed on a host of charges, including felony assault on a police officer, after being arrested outside the gates of Valhalla. He is accused of “refusing to comply” by attempting to enter the tarmac before dragging a police officer to the ground.
Scheffler was cautioned, wearing an orange jumpsuit, before racing back to Valhalla in time for his 10 a.m. tee time. Somehow, despite all the turbulence, he made six birdies to finish at -9 and climb to third place. of the classification.
The 27-year-old shot a second-round 66, making just one bogey along the way, to move within two shots of leader Collin Morikawa heading into the weekend.
He left the field to wild applause, high-fives from fans, including one wearing a T-shirt that said, “Free Scottie.”
Scottie Scheffler frees himself from the shackles and continues in the fight for PGA Championship glory
The 27-year-old shot a 66 in the second round, making just one bogey along the way.
Scheffler was reprimanded, wearing an orange jumpsuit, before running back to his 10 a.m. tee time.
The world number one, 27, was previously taken to prison, with a mugshot released through the Louisville Department of Corrections. He was charged with the following:
- Second degree assault on a police officer
- Criminal mischief in the third degree
- Ignoring traffic signals from an officer directing traffic
The incident occurred when the second round of the PGA Championship was delayed Friday due to a fatal crash near the club.
At 5:09 a.m. Friday, a pedestrian was struck 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 later sent his condolences to the victim and detailed how the “huge misunderstanding” left him “unsettled” and shaking with shock.
‘I feel like my head is still spinning. I really can’t explain what happened this morning. I spent some time stretching in a jail cell; that was a first for me,” she said.
“Today I tried to lower my heart rate as much as I could… I dug some holes to feel normal.”
The American swapped an orange jumpsuit for his Nike golf gear in time for his round.
Scheffler detailed how the “big misunderstanding” left him “unsettled” and shaking with shock.
The world number one paid tribute to the officer who took him to jail. “We had a nice chat in the car that helped me calm down. I was sitting there waiting to get in and I asked him, ‘Can you come spend some time with me so I can calm down,'” he said.
‘WWhen I was sitting in the cell, there was a TV there and I could see myself on the TV, on ESPN… in the corner it showed the time and said they were late. I was thinking about my departure time.
Earlier, a panicked Scheffler could be heard asking witnesses: “Could you please help me?” as he was led towards a police car. In Kentucky, second-degree assault is a class C felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
However, shortly after 10 a.m. on Friday, Scheffler returned to the track in search of more glory. He opened with two birdies on the first three holes before hitting four more shots at Valhalla.
He made six birdies to finish with -9 and tie for third place in the standings.
‘I never imagined going to jail… I was grateful to be able to go out and compete’
He left the field to cheers and high-fives, including one whose T-shirt read: “Free Scottie.”
The officer involved in Friday’s incident was taken to the hospital after suffering “pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knee.”
Police reportedly tried to stop Scheffler, but he “accelerated forward.” This led to an officer latching onto Scheffler’s car. The world number one then drove another 10 meters before stopping.
The officer then reportedly grabbed Scheffler and attempted to pull him out of the car before Scheffler opened the door. They then dragged him out of the vehicle, pushed him against it and handcuffed him.
He returned to Valhalla in time for a brief warm-up before playing alongside Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman. Scheffler insisted afterward that Friday was one of the best rounds of his remarkable career.
“It was nice to be able to get in the ropes and do what I love to do,” he continued. “I’ve stayed in the tournament now with a pretty chaotic day.”
He added: ‘“I definitely never imagined going to jail…I was grateful to be able to go out and compete.”
