Police detain golf world No.1 Scheffler outside PGA course after traffic incident

Golf world number one Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed and arrested by police early on Friday after allegedly trying to drive around traffic controls outside the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Scheffler was detained by a Louisville Metro police officer when he drove on curbing to try and get around an accident to get into the golf course, where he was scheduled to compete in the second round of the major tournament on Friday.

Louisville's WAVE-TV news and Golf Digest reported Scheffler was charged with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.

SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported Scheffler was released on his own recognisance and expected to arrive at Valhalla about an hour before his scheduled tee time for the second round, which began after an 80-minute delay due to the accident.

In this still image, Scottie Scheffler is put into a police car after being handcuffed. AP

Scheffler, trying to become the first player since 2015 to win the first two majors in a calendar year, would have time to practice putting and drives before his revised start time of 10:08 a.m. off the 10th tee.

Police had been dealing with traffic congestion from an earlier accident that Scheffler was not involved in, one in which a pedestrian was killed by a vehicle, according to witnesses and US media reports.

This May 17, 2024, booking photo obtained from the Louisville Department of Corrections shows Scottie Scheffler. AFP

SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported Scheffler was booked into custody by police at 7:38am while Scheffler's mugshot in an orange jumpsuit was posted by the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections.

ESPN's Jeff Darlington posted a video on X of Scheffler, wearing shorts and T-shirt, with his hands held behind his back, being led away by police in the pre-dawn incident.

Scottie Scheffler putts on the 12th green during the first round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. Reuters

As police lights flashed in the dark, officers shouted at witnesses to stand back, one declaring about Scheffler, "right now, he's going to jail and there's nothing you can do about it."

Darlington said the incident was a misunderstanding over traffic flow and a police officer had screamed at Scheffler to exit his car, then shoved Scheffler against the vehicle and placed him in handcuffs before being helped into the back seats of a police car.

The second round of the year's second major tournament teed off 80 minutes late due to the traffic accident that clogged roads leading to the course.
Rainy conditions soaked the course as players resumed competition.

Agence France-Presse