Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged by police at the PGA Championship

The world’s top golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested by Louisville Metro Police Friday morning after he attempted to enter Valhalla Golf Club to play in the PGA Championship in what he called a “big misunderstanding.”

Scheffler was arrested off-track at 6:20 a.m. and booked into Metro Corrections at 7:28 a.m. on charges of second-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and failure to obey signals from an officer directing traffic, according to his Arrest shows citation and jail records.

Scheffler was released on personal recognizance and returned to Valhalla Golf Club shortly after 9 a.m. About an hour later, he teed off in the second round of the major tournament.

“I still feel like my head is spinning a little bit,” Scheffler told reporters after posting a 5-under round that put him at 9-under. “I was lucky enough to make it back out today and play some golf.”

Second-degree assault is a Class C felony in Kentucky, punishable by between five and 10 years in prison.

Under state law, second-degree assault occurs when a person:

Intentionally causes serious bodily harm to another person
Using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument to intentionally cause bodily harm to another person
Wantonly causing serious physical injury to another person using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.

Scheffler is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to court records.

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In the arrest memo, LMPD wrote that Scheffler was driving eastbound to enter Valhalla Gate 1 when he turned into a westbound lane “where outbound traffic was flowing” to avoid a traffic jam.

The traffic accident was due to a fatal accident involving a pedestrian. Around 5 a.m., a man who worked security for PGA Championship salesman John Mills was struck by a shuttle bus and pronounced dead at the scene.

Scheffler’s tee time was originally set for 8:48 a.m., but the accident delayed the start of the second round.

Scheffler’s arrest notice states that LMPD Detective Bryan Gillis “was in the middle of the westbound lane in full LMPD uniform and a high-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket” when he stopped the golfer and “attempted to give directions.”

Scheffler, the citation states, “refused the request and sped forward, knocking Detective Gillis to the ground. Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knee.”

Gillis was taken by paramedics to a hospital for treatment, the citation states. His uniform pants, which LMPD estimates to be worth about $80, were “damaged beyond repair.”

In a statement released Friday afternoon, LMPD said it is “in the process of a thorough investigation” of the incident and is “grateful that all parties involved are cooperating fully.”

The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Friday afternoon that it is “still obtaining information in Mr. Scheffler’s case and will review it and act accordingly.”

Jeff Darlington, an NFL reporter for ESPN covering the PGA Championship, was on scene when LMPD arrested Scheffler. He posted the following video on X, formerly Twitter, of officers leading Scheffler away from Valhalla Golf Club in handcuffs:

Steve Romines, a Louisville attorney representing Scheffler, told The Courier Journal that his client “did nothing wrong” and had his credentials visible in his vehicle marked “PGA Player.”

“He was following the instructions of another traffic control officer and attempting to get into the facility to warm up and exercise,” Romines said.

They would plead not guilty and take the matter to court “as appropriate,” he added.

Romines is a high-profile attorney who represented Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker and the family of David McAtee, the barbecue chef killed when LMPD and the Kentucky National Guard tried to enforce a curfew in Louisville’s West End during protests over Taylor’s death took place.

Scheffler posted the following statement about his arrest on his Instagram Story before teeing off on Friday:

“This morning I acted as instructed by the police officers. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably given the tragic accident that had occurred previously, and there was a huge misunderstanding about what I thought was being asked of me,” he wrote. “I never intended to disobey any of the instructions. I hope I can put that aside and focus on golf today.”

“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who died in the earlier accident this morning. That really puts everything into perspective.”

Both Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear used the word “unfortunate” to describe what happened to Scheffler.

“It is unfortunate that an incident occurred between an LMPD officer and Mr. Scheffler as he attempted to enter Valhalla,” Greenberg said in a statement. “LMPD is fully investigating this incident and the legal process will continue. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation.”

Beshear added: “The events that occurred (following the fatal collision) are the unfortunate result of this tragic incident, and we hope that everyone involved can come to a resolution.”

After his tour on Friday, Scheffler told reporters he could not comment on the details of his arrest.

“My situation is being clarified,” he said. “It was a chaotic situation.”

However, he praised the officers he interacted with after his incarceration – both on the way to Metro Corrections and while he was incarcerated – for helping calm him down.

“I am grateful that we have such a strong police force; they are our protectors out there,” he said. “We just got into a chaotic situation this morning. That was really all.”

Mills’ death and Scheffler’s arrest led many on social media to speculate about what it would mean for Valhalla Golf Club’s chances of hosting another PGA Championship.

This is the fourth time the major tournament has come to Louisville; and the city’s tourism department said in a statement it “remains committed” to ensuring it won’t be the last time.

“Louisville has a long-standing track record of successfully hosting world-class sporting events. Sport is simply in the DNA of the city and the amount of sporting events we host is proof of this,” the statement said. “Furthermore, we know that our community is very proud of these events and continues to passionately support them. That’s what we hear all the time from the groups that chose Louisville as their venue.”

“While we cannot lose sight of the tragic loss of life this morning, Louisville Tourism remains committed to working with our many city partners to continue to bring sports tourism to the city.”

The 27-year-old New Jersey native Scheffler is trying to become the first golfer since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to start a year with back-to-back major championship victories.

He entered the PGA Championship as the overwhelming favorite, having won four of his last five PGA Tour events – including this year’s Masters.

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