In an unexpected turn of events, World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested on Friday morning by Louisville Metro Police while trying to drive into Valhalla Golf Club, the site of this week’s PGA Championship. This happened shortly after a tragic accident where a man was hit and killed by a shuttle bus around 5 a.m. ET, causing traffic to come to a standstill.
Scheffler now faces several charges, including second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals.
The assault charge is a felony, while the other charges are misdemeanors. According to Major Jason Logsdon of the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, Scheffler was released without bail at 8:40 a.m. ET and made it to Valhalla less than an hour before his scheduled 10:08 a.m. ET tee time.
In a statement, Scheffler expressed his regret, explaining that he misunderstood the police instructions due to the chaos caused by the earlier accident. He emphasized his intention to comply with the authorities and offered his condolences to the family of the deceased.
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, described how Scheffler attempted to drive around the crash scene on a median. Despite a police officer’s instructions to stop, Scheffler continued driving for about 10 to 20 yards towards the entrance. An officer then attached himself to Scheffler’s car. Scheffler stopped and was detained after a brief struggle where an officer pulled him out of the vehicle.
Scheffler’s attorney, Steven Romines, clarified that Scheffler was following earlier instructions to enter the club, unaware of the recent accident. Romines highlighted the miscommunication and stated that Scheffler would cooperate fully with the investigation.
The start of the PGA Championship’s second round was delayed due to the accident. The man, struck by the shuttle bus while trying to cross Shelbyville Road, was hit in a dedicated bus lane and died at the scene. The PGA of America expressed deep condolences to his family, calling the incident heartbreaking.
Tiger Woods and Tournament Updates
Tiger Woods faced his own challenges at the PGA Championship. After a promising start, sitting at 1-under after 16 holes, Woods finished with a 1-over 72 due to bogeys on his last two holes. He is currently tied for 85th, trailing leader Xander Schauffele by 10 strokes. Schauffele posted a 9-under 62, matching the lowest round in a major championship for the second time in his career.
Woods, who hasn’t competed since the Masters in April, struggled with his putting on the final holes. He acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining consistency over four rounds, given his limited competitive play following his 2021 car accident. Nonetheless, Woods remains optimistic about his strength and hopes to improve his performance as the tournament progresses.
Surprise Leader at Mizuho Americas Open
In other golf news, So Mi Lee shot a remarkable 6-under 66, taking a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Mizuho Americas Open in Jersey City, N.J. Lee, a last-minute entry replacing Maja Stark, who withdrew due to illness, seized the unexpected opportunity. Defending champion Rose Zhang also withdrew after three holes because of an intestinal issue.
Lee, a five-time winner on the Korean LPGA tour, managed eight birdies and two bogeys at Liberty National. Other top contenders, including Mao Saigo of Japan, finished at 4-under 68. Lee, who did not expect to play, credited her father, who acted as her caddie, for encouraging her to practice and seize the unexpected chance to compete.