Masters champion Scottie Scheffler certainly didn’t expect his appearance at the PGA Championship to take such a dramatic turn. Almost two weeks after being arrested and handcuffed outside Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, Scheffler is trying to move on from an incident that’s not easy to forget.
Scheffler knew five days in advance that the charges related to his arrest were going to be dismissed. While that was a relief, it wasn’t the end of dealing with its emotional impact. On May 29, criminal charges were officially dropped, but Scheffler admits, ‘It’s not something that I love reliving, just because it was fairly traumatic for me being arrested going into the golf course.’
The incident began with a tragic accident involving John Mills, an employee of a PGA Championship vendor who was fatally hit by a shuttle bus. Scheffler was navigating the traffic caused by the accident when he ended up being charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, and three misdemeanors for allegedly not following police instructions.
The arresting officer, Detective Bryan Gillis, claimed he was dragged by Scheffler’s car, resulting in minor injuries. Surveillance video shows Gillis stopping Scheffler from entering the course and later pulling him from his car. However, this footage didn’t capture Gillis’ initial contact with Scheffler, leaving some questions unanswered.
Scheffler, wearing gym shorts and a T-shirt, was led to a police car in handcuffs, and his mugshot quickly circulated. He was released in time for the second round of the tournament, where he shot 66 and eventually tied for eighth place. Despite the charges being dropped, the emotional toll remains.
Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, revealed there was ample evidence on Scheffler’s side and that they were prepared to pursue a civil lawsuit against Louisville police if necessary. However, Scheffler wasn’t interested in litigation, stating, ‘I don’t really know how to describe it, but basically if I had to show up in court, I think Steve was more than prepared to pursue legal action. That just doesn’t seem right.’
Reflecting on the ordeal, Scheffler mentioned it’s something that will always stick with him, ‘That mug shot, I’m sure is not going anywhere anytime soon.’ He also highlighted the impact of the experience on his mental state, ‘I think that’s part of the recovery process from the whole scenario, is your brain tries to figure out how this happened… But it’s just one of those deals that it will always be kind of ingrained in my season this year.’
As Scheffler tries to focus on his game, the arrest incident is a chapter he’d rather forget. While the legal aspects may be behind him, the personal and emotional repercussions are harder to shake off. With the U.S. Open approaching, Scheffler hopes time will help people forget, even if he can’t.
Source: Espn
