Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, released a statement shortly after he was arrested by Louisville, Kentucky, police and charged with multiple crimes, including a felony, on Friday morning.
Scheffler was arrested after he attempted to get into the Valhalla Golf Club to prepare for the second round of the PGA Championship. However, a fatal accident involving a pedestrian resulted in a large police response just outside the club, preventing the golfer from getting to the entrance. The accident was unrelated to Scheffler’s arrest.
Scheffler wrote on Instagram that “a very chaotic situation” caused a “big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do.”
“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers,” he said. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do.”
“I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today,” he added. “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 into perspective.”
According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, Scheffler attempted to drive on a median to get around the scene of the accident, but a police officer told Scheffler to stop. Scheffler, however, allegedly continued to drive another 10 to 20 yards toward the Valhalla Golf Club entrance, angering the officer, who “attempted to attach himself to Scheffler’s car” before Scheffler stopped his car.
Scheffler is charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic, according to a court document, The New York Times reported. The second-degree assault charge is a felony while the others are misdemeanors.
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The golfer was booked into jail at 7:28 a.m., according to the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections, and released a little over an hour later. He was initially scheduled to tee off at 8:48 a.m., but his tee time was moved back to 10:08 a.m., which he made on time. Scheffler, who entered the second round tied for 12th at four under par, birdied on his first hole after his arrest.
🚨🚔🎯 #BIRDIE — After being arrested earlier this morning, world #1 Scottie Scheffler is BACK firing darts at Valhalla. He is now -1 thru 1 and fans are chanting his name. @SchefflerFans
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 17, 2024
