LOUISVILLE — Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed and detained by Louisville Metro Police at Valhalla Golf Club on early Friday morning, according to a Golf Digest report.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Scheffler attempted to drive past a police officer, presumably to enter the golf course and prepare for the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship. A traffic issue had arisen due to an accident outside the club, where a shuttle bus hit and killed a pedestrian early Friday morning. Scheffler’s arrest is not related to the early morning shuttle bus accident.
The officer, apparently trying to prevent Scheffler from proceeding, attached himself to Scheffler’s car and told Scheffler to get out of the vehicle. When Scheffler complied, the officer shoved him, placed him in handcuffs, and put him in the back of a police cruiser. ESPN video confirmed Darlington’s report. Scheffler allegedly pleaded for help from an ESPN crew nearby; when Darlington attempted to intervene, the police officer responded, “There’s nothing you can do, he’s going to jail.”
Darlington added that the officers did not recognize Scheffler.
The PGA of America has not responded to Golf Digest’s request for comment at this time.
Scheffler, the World No. 1, has won four of his past five tournaments, highlighted by his second Masters title and becoming the first player to successfully defend the Players Championship. Scheffler shot a first-round four-under 67 at Valhalla on Thursday. He was scheduled to tee off at 8:48 a.m. Friday before the shuttle-bus accident delayed the round.
