Criminal charges against world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed following his arrest during the PGA Championship earlier this month. The 27-year-old was facing four charges, including assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, after an incident that occurred just hours before he teed off on the second day at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell asked a judge to drop the charges, stating that his team reviewed the case thoroughly and could not move forward with the prosecution. Detective Bryan Gillis claimed that Scheffler had refused to comply with a request to stop his vehicle and had dragged the officer to the ground. However, a surveillance video released by Louisville police did not show the initial contact between Scheffler and the officer.
Scheffler welcomed the decision in a post on his Instagram Story, expressing no ill will towards the arresting officer and acknowledging the difficult job that police officers have. His attorney, Steve Romines, declined to comment during the hearing, and the judge accepted the dismissal motion.
Scheffler maintained that the incident was a misunderstanding and thanked his fans for their support during the past two weeks. He also paid tribute to the pedestrian who lost their life on the day of the incident, expressing his condolences to the family. Despite the ordeal, Scheffler teed off his second round at Valhalla and received support from spectators. Although he did not win the tournament, he finished in joint eighth place.