Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his method to the PGA Championship, with gorgeous photographs exhibiting him handcuffed as he was taken to jail for not following police orders throughout a pedestrian fatality investigation.
In a span of three hours, Scheffler was arrested carrying fitness center shorts and a tee shirt, was wearing an orange jail shirt for his mug shot, and returned to Valhalla Golf Membership in golf garments 56 minutes earlier than he was to tee off within the second spherical.
Site visitors was backed up for a couple of mile in each instructions on the one highway that results in Valhalla within the morning darkness with gentle rain, with dozens of police autos flashing red-and-blue lights close to the doorway.
Police mentioned a pedestrian had been struck by a bus whereas crossing the highway in a lane that was devoted to event site visitors and was pronounced useless on the scene about 5:09 a.m.
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington mentioned Scheffler, the No. 1 participant on the earth who was to begin the second spherical at 8:48 a.m., drove previous a police officer slightly after 6 a.m. in his SUV with markings on the door indicating it was a PGA Championship automobile.
The officer screamed at him to cease after which grabbed onto the automobile till Scheffler stopped about 10 yards later.
Scheffler was booked at 7:28 a.m. — about 2 1/2 hours earlier than he was scheduled to begin his second spherical. Police mentioned he was booked for second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree legal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding site visitors indicators from an officer directing site visitors.
Louisville Metro police spokesman Dwight Mitchell didn’t instantly return a name in search of remark and knowledge.
Darlington watched it unfold. He mentioned police pulled Scheffler out of the automobile, pushed him up towards the automobile and instantly positioned him in handcuffs.
“Scheffler was then walked over to the police automobile, positioned within the again, in handcuffs, very surprised about what was occurring, regarded towards me as he was in these handcuffs and mentioned, Please assist me,’” Darlington mentioned. “He very clearly didn’t know what was occurring within the state of affairs. It moved in a short time, very quickly, very aggressively.” Mitchell instructed Louisville radio station WHAS the person was crossing Shelbyville Street about 5 a.m. and the bus didn’t see him. Mitchell mentioned the person was pronounced useless on the scene.
The PGA Championship posted a discover that play could be delayed due to the accident. The second spherical was to begin 1 hour, 20 minutes later than scheduled tee occasions, which means Scheffler was not on account of begin till slightly after 10 a.m.
With automobiles backed up within the morning darkness, different PGA-marked autos tried to maneuver slowly towards the doorway. Site visitors lastly started to maneuver step by step slightly earlier than 7 a.m.
It was a surreal begin to what already has been a wild week of climate — the Masters champion and top-ranked participant on the earth, wearing exercise garments together with his palms in cuffs behind his again amid flashing flights.
Darlington mentioned police weren’t positive who Scheffler was. He mentioned an officer requested him to go away and when he recognized himself being with the media, he was instructed, “There’s nothing you are able to do. He’s going to jail.” Darlington mentioned one other police officer later approached with a notepad and requested if he knew the identify of the individual they put in handcuffs.
Scheffler is coming off 4 victories in his final 5 tournaments, together with his second Masters title. He was house in Dallas the final three weeks ready on the delivery of his first little one, a son that was born Might 8.
Scheffler opened with a 4-under 67 and was 5 pictures out of the lead as he tries to turn out to be solely the fifth participant since 1960 to win the primary two majors of the 12 months.