PGA Championship arrest charges dropped for top golfer Scottie Scheffler

The legal saga surrounding top male golfer Scottie Scheffler has come to an end as criminal charges against him have been dismissed. The charges stemmed from an incident during the PGA Championship in Louisville where Scheffler was arrested and handcuffed.

Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell made the decision to drop the four charges against Scheffler, citing a thorough review of the evidence that led to the conclusion that they could not move forward with prosecution. O’Connell stated that Scheffler’s claim of a “big misunderstanding” was supported by the evidence.

Scheffler had been facing a felony charge for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, as well as three misdemeanours. The incident occurred when Detective Bryan Gillis, who was directing traffic outside Valhalla Golf Course after a pedestrian death, encountered Scheffler in a PGA courtesy vehicle. Gillis alleged that Scheffler refused to comply with his commands and accelerated forward, dragging Gillis to the ground.

A surveillance video released by Louisville police showed Gillis pursuing Scheffler’s vehicle on foot and eventually arresting him, but did not capture the initial interaction between the two. Gillis was disciplined for not activating his body-worn camera during the arrest.

Scheffler maintained that he simply misunderstood the commands given by traffic officers and spent a brief time in jail before returning to the tournament to finish tied for eighth place. The golfer can now put this legal ordeal behind him and focus on his future in the sport.