PGA Championship: Scottie Scheffler, World No. 1, tees off following arrest and felony charge for incident at Valhalla

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler found himself in hot water early Friday morning after an incident with a police officer outside Valhalla Golf Club, the site of the PGA Championship. The incident occurred following a separate traffic incident outside Valhalla that tragically ended in a pedestrian fatality.

Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, criminal mischief in the third degree, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic. The charges ranged from misdemeanors to a felony for assaulting a police officer.

Despite the ordeal, Scheffler was released from custody at 8:40 a.m. ET and quickly returned to Valhalla, where he headed to the practice area before teeing off around 10:10 a.m. ET. In a statement posted on his Instagram story, Scheffler expressed his regret over the misunderstanding and emphasized his focus on golf for the day.

The incident was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, who detailed the confrontation between Scheffler and the police officer. Darlington reported that Scheffler drove a short distance past the officer before being stopped and detained. The situation escalated quickly, leading to Scheffler being placed in handcuffs and loaded into a police vehicle.

Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, defended his client’s actions, stating that Scheffler was following instructions given by officers directing traffic and was unaware of the changed traffic patterns due to the earlier accident.

Despite the tumultuous start to his day, Scheffler managed to refocus on his game and birdied his opening hole after the tournament resumed play following an 80-minute delay. The incident serves as a reminder of the chaotic and unpredictable nature of live events, even in the world of professional golf.