Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, was arrested Friday morning by Louisville Metro Police following what he characterized as “a big misunderstanding” when he attempted to enter Valhalla Golf Club to compete in the PGA Championship.
Scheffler tried to get to Valhalla Golf Club early Friday morning but was stopped by a police officer due to traffic congestion caused by a deadly accident in the area. From there, the stories differ. According to the police complaint, the officer was pulled to the ground and sustained severe injuries that required hospitalization. Scheffler’s attorney responded in a statement that Scheffler “stopped immediately upon being directed to and never at any point assaulted any officer with his vehicle.”
Scheffler was apprehended outside the course at 6:20 a.m. and booked into Metro Corrections at 7:28 a.m. on charges of second-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer, according to his arrest citation and jail records.
Scottie Scheffler was freed from custody on personal recognizance and returned to Valhalla Golf Club just after 9 a.m. About one hour later, he teed off in the second round of the big championship.
Hours later, Scottie Scheffler’s lawyer, Steve Romines, spoke to the media and expressed his thoughts on the situation.
“He was going into Valhalla to work out and get ready for his tee time. They were directing traffic. He held his media credential out and was going in like they have been instructed to, and apparently, there had been a traffic accident or maybe even a fatality down the road, and that had changed the traffic patterns, and he was unaware of that,” Romines said, via Yahoosports.com.
“I think the officer directing traffic was maybe not part of the event traffic detail, and that’s where the miscommunication arose, and that’s why we’re here.”
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Police Officer Says He Was Dragged By Scottie Scheffler’s Car
The police officer who attempted to stop world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler from entering Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning was dragged to the ground and suffered “pain, swelling, and abrasions” to his left wrist and knee after Scheffler’s car accelerated, according to an incident report released by the Louisville Metro Police Department.
The report, which ESPN acquired, stated that investigator Bryan Gillis was directing traffic when Scheffler’s SUV moved into the lanes to avoid the delay.
Gillis stopped Scheffler’s SUV and attempted to give instructions, but things got out of hand soon afterward.
“The subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground,” the report said.
Emergency medical services carried Gillis to a hospital so that he could be assessed. According to the article, his uniform pants had also sustained irreversible damage.
