The second round of the PGA Championship got off to a dramatic start for Scottie Scheffler on Friday, May 17, when Louisville Metro Police arrested the world’s No. 1 golfer as he attempted to bypass a traffic stop and enter Valhalla Golf Club.
Scheffler faces a second-degree felony charge of assault on a police officer, as well as multiple misdemeanor charges including a third-degree felony, reckless driving and failure to obey a traffic signal of an officer directing traffic, according to public records.
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington witnessed the incident, which he said happened around 5:45 a.m. local time.
Almost an hour earlier, around 5 am, a man was tragically struck and killed by a bus while trying to cross the street. Traffic to the golf course was backed up, and the second round, which had previously been scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m., was delayed to 8:35 a.m. by PGA of America officials.
Scheffler, Darlington said, tried to go around the crash across the median — and kept driving despite the officer ordering him to stop. When he finally stopped the car, he was pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed.
“Right now he’s going to jail and there’s nothing you can do,” the arresting officer told Darlington, after Scheffler asked the reporter, “Can you help?”
Photo by Scottie Scheffler.
Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections
Darlington shared a video of the arrest with X.
Scheffler, 27, was released at 8:40 a.m. ET without bail, Maj. Jason Logsdon of the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections told ESPN. He was seen returning to Valhalla Golf Club shortly after 9:30am
Scottie Scheffler wins his second Masters, secures 2024 Green Jacket.
Later, on his Instagram Story, Scheffler claimed that the police instructed him to drive.
“This morning I followed the instructions of the police officers,” Scheffler wrote. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably given the tragic accident that had happened earlier, and there was a lot of misunderstanding about what I thought was being asked of me.”
“I never meant to ignore any instructions,” he continued. “Hopefully I can put this aside and focus on golf today.”
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Scottie Scheffler in April 2024.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty
The new father, who welcomed son Bennett with wife Meredith just days earlier on May 8, continued to share his grief over the pedestrian’s death on Friday morning.
“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who died in an accident this morning,” he wrote. “It really puts everything into perspective.”
Police tell PEOPLE that the man, who has not been named, died at the scene.
Said PGA of America said in a statement released to the media: “This morning we were devastated to learn that an employee of one of our suppliers was tragically struck and killed by a bus in front of Valhalla Golf Club. “This is heartbreaking for all of us involved with the PGA Championship. We extend our sincere condolences to their families and loved ones.”
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Meanwhile, PEOPLE has reached out to Scheffler’s attorney, Steven Romines, for comment.
The attorney attributed the incident to a “miscommunication,” telling ESPN on Friday that the officer who tried to stop Scheffler was not part of the regular traffic detail at Valhalla Golf Club.
“They are allowed to pass, that’s why they have a credential and a pass,” Romines told the newspaper. “He was unaware that an accident had occurred and carried on as he was told. He did exactly as he was told to enter the room.”
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