Golf star Scottie Scheffler detained at PGA Championship after traffic incident
'FOX & Friends First' co-host Todd Piro provides details after Scheffler reportedly drove around a police barricade in an apparent misunderstanding outside Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
Scottie Scheffler ended Thursday within striking distance of the lead in hopes of winning the first PGA Championship of his career, but Friday got off to a rough start.
Scheffler was arrested and charged after he allegedly failed to follow police orders as he was about to enter Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville, Kentucky, for the second round of the tournament.
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Scottie Scheffler was booked into a Kentucky jail on Friday. (Louisville Department of Corrections)
Scheffler released a statement before he teed off in the second round.
"This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do," he said. "I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.
"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 in perspective."
Scheffler arrived back on the course at around 9:12 a.m. ET.
"All good," he told Rickie Fowler as he made his way to the driving range.
ESPN reported that Scheffler drove past a police officer in his SUV with markings on the door indicating it was a PGA Championship vehicle. The officer screamed at him to stop and then attached himself to the car until Scheffler stopped his vehicle about 10 yards later. ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington characterized it as a "misunderstanding with traffic flow" as authorities were investigating a traffic fatality earlier in the morning.
"Scheffler was then walked over to the police car, placed in the back, in handcuffs, very stunned about what was happening, looked toward me as he was in those handcuffs and said, ‘Please help me,’" Darlington said on ESPN’s "SportsCenter." "He very clearly did not know what was happening in the situation. It moved very quickly, very rapidly, very aggressively."
Darlington posted a video of the incident on his X account.
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In this still image made from video provided by ESPN, Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is escorted by police after being handcuffed near Valhalla Golf Club, site of the PGA Championship golf tournament, early Friday. (ESPN via AP)
"Right now, he’s going to jail," one officer at the scene told Darlington. "He’s going to jail and there ain’t nothing you can do about it."
Scheffler was booked into the Louisville Department of Corrections later Friday. He was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer (a felony), criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
Scottie Scheffler arrives for the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, after being taken into custody by the Louisville police department on Friday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A police report said a detective was knocked down after Scheffler refused "to comply and accelerated forward." The detective was allegedly dragged to the ground and suffered injuries to his wrist and knee.
Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, released a statement regarding the incident.
"In the early hours of the morning in advance of his tee time Scottie was going to the course to begin his pre round preparation," he said, via Sports Illustrated. "Due to the combination of event traffic and a traffic fatality in the area it was a very chaotic situation. He was proceeding as directed by another traffic officer and driving a marked player’s vehicle with credentials visible. In the confusion, Scottie is alleged to have disregarded a different officer’s traffic signals resulting in these charges.
"Multiple eyewitnesses have confirmed that he did not do anything wrong but was simply proceeding as directed. He stopped immediately upon being directed to and never at any point assaulted any officer with his vehicle. We will litigate this matter as needed and he will be completely exonerated."
Scheffler was coming off of four victories in the last five tournaments, including a second Masters title. He was home in Dallas the last three weeks waiting for the birth of his first child, which occurred on May 8.
Xander Schauffele had the lead after the first round. He was 9-under par. Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau and Mark Hubbard were tied for second place at 6-under par.
Scottie Scheffler was a few strokes back of the lead in the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Scheffler, the No.1 golfer in the world, was tied for 12th at 4-under par.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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