Scottie Scheffler has opened up about his reaction to his arrest on Friday, May 17, describing the experience as incredibly distressing.
The top-ranked golfer in the world was apprehended by Louisville Metro Police while trying to bypass a traffic stop to enter Valhalla Golf Club early in the morning. He faced a felony charge of second-degree assault of a police officer and was also charged with three misdemeanors: third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding an officer’s traffic signals.
“I was never angry, just shocked, and I was shaking the entire time,” Scheffler explained during a press conference after the second round of the PGA Championship, where he was leading. “I shook for about an hour. It was an unfamiliar sensation. We had a decent conversation once an officer approached me, and the staff inside the jail were great, making light of the situation once they recognized me.”
According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Scheffler’s arrest occurred around 5:45 a.m., shortly after a fatal accident involving a shuttle bus and a pedestrian, identified by the PGA as vendor John Mills, around 5:00 a.m.
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Darlington reported that Scheffler tried to maneuver around the accident scene via the median, despite being directed to stop by an officer, which led to his arrest. Major Jason Logsdon of the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections confirmed Scheffler was released at 8:40 a.m. without bail.
The police reported that Scheffler “refused to comply and accelerated, causing Detective Gillis to fall to the ground,” per CNN.
After the incident, Scheffler noted on his Instagram Stories that he was “directed by police officers” to proceed. His lawyer, Steven Romines, commented to ESPN that there was a “miscommunication,” explaining that the officer wasn’t a regular part of the event-traffic team and that Scheffler was following earlier instructions given to him.
“They are allowed to go through; that’s why they have the credential and the wave-through,” Romines stated. He emphasized that his client was unaware of the accident and followed the directions he was given.
During a subsequent press conference, Scheffler expressed his sympathies to the Mills family and described his arrest as a result of “a chaotic situation and a big misunderstanding.”
“I spent some time stretching in a jail cell, which was a new warm-up for me,” he shared. “I was trying to calm down, but my mind was still spinning.”
Scheffler admitted to feeling “pretty rattled” in jail, though he praised the kindness of the officers and their helpfulness during his detainment.
“My body was shaking from shock and fear,” he recounted. “Playing today was challenging, but I managed to control my mind and my breathing.”
He emphasized that he tried to remain calm and cooperative throughout the ordeal, and did not use his status to influence the situation, focusing instead on handling the situation with as much calm as possible.
The PGA Championship was set to conclude on Sunday, May 19.
