Scottie Scheffler was arrested before the start of Round 2 of the PGA Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Golfer no. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was arrested and booked into a Louisville jail Friday morning after an incident with police near the entrance to Valhalla Golf Club, site of this week’s 2024 PGA Championship.

Scheffler, 27, faces four criminal charges — including second-degree assault on a police officer, which is a felony — after an encounter with a Louisville police officer who was directing traffic outside the golf course , following a fatal collision in the area. earlier Friday morning.

In a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the officer wrote that Scheffler disobeyed his verbal instructions, accelerated his car forward and dragged the officer to the ground, causing pain and swelling to his left knee and wrist. Scheffler said in a statement that he was “proceeding according to the instructions” of the officers and called the incident “a big misunderstanding.”

“It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so, given the tragic accident that occurred earlier, and there was a huge misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do,” he wrote in the statement. “I never intended to ignore any of the instructions. I hope to put that aside and focus on golf today.

“Of course, everyone involved in the tour sends our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who died in the earlier crash this morning. It really puts everything into perspective.”

Scheffler was arrested just before 6:30 a.m. and booked into jail about an hour later, according to online records released by the Metropolitan Louisville Department of Corrections. He is charged with second-degree assault on a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and failure to obey the signals of an officer directing traffic.

The tees were delayed nearly 90 minutes Friday because of the traffic accident in which an employee of one of the event’s vendors, John Mills, was killed.

By 9:15, Scheffler had been released from prison and arrived at Valhalla. He took the tee shot less than an hour later and went on to shoot a 5-under 66 to move to 9 under and just two shots off the lead entering Saturday.

Louisville police did not immediately respond to requests from USA TODAY Sports for comment and more information about Scheffler’s arrest. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

Louisville attorney Steve Romines confirmed Scheffler’s allegations to local reporters in a brief interview Friday and said “we will take the case as it comes.” Romines has indicated to several news outlets that Scheffler plans to plead not guilty.

“It appears there was a traffic accident, or maybe even a road fatality, and that changed the traffic patterns, and he wasn’t aware of it,” Romines said, according to video posted by WLKY-TV. “And, I think the officer directing traffic may not have been part of the event traffic detail and that’s why the miscommunication occurred and that’s why we’re here.”

The arrest came as a shock to the golf world, where Scheffler has become known not only as one of the PGA Tour’s best ball-strikers, but also one of its kindest characters. He has won 10 PGA Tour events and two majors, including the most recent Masters earlier this spring. A recent article on Golf.com called him “the best golfer (and) maybe the most charming.”

ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington first broke the news of Scheffler’s arrest after witnessing it take place outside Valhalla Friday morning. He wrote on social media that “a misunderstanding with the flow of traffic led to (Scheffler’s) attempt to drive past a police officer” on the way to the golf course.

Darlington later posted a video clip on social media of Scheffler being escorted by police while handcuffed and described the events as he witnessed them on social media and on ESPN. The video shows police detaining Scheffler and an officer telling Darlington the golfer is going to jail.

Darlington added that Scheffler, while handcuffed, looked at the reporter and said, “Please help me.”

“They told him to stop,” Darlington said in an appearance on ESPN. “When he did not stop, the police officer attached himself to the vehicle. Scheffler then traveled another 10 meters before stopping the car. The police officer then grabbed his arm trying to get him out of the car before Scheffler finally opened the door. , at which point the policeman pulled Scheffler out of the car, pushed him against the car and immediately put him in handcuffs.”

Romines told reporters that Scheffler showed police officers his credentials and attempted to enter the golf course as instructed. In the criminal complaint, meanwhile, the officer alleges that Scheffler was speeding ahead. The officer was taken to the hospital and wrote in the complaint that his uniform pants “were damaged beyond repair.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear alluded to Scheffler’s arrest in a statement expressing his condolences for Mills’ death in Friday’s traffic accident, calling it the “unfortunate result of this tragic incident.”

“We hope that all parties involved will be able to reach a resolution,” Beshear said.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also released a statement describing Scheffler’s arrest as “unfortunate” but adding that police are investigating and “the legal process will continue.” The Louisville prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to an email from USA TODAY Sports about the case Friday.

Scheffler shot a 4-under par 67 in Thursday’s opening round and was tied for 12th entering Friday. He has won four of the last five PGA Tour events he has entered, dating back to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

Contributed by: Scooby Axson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Scottie Scheffler Arrested Before PGA Championship Begins