Golfer Scottie Scheffler Breaks Silence Following Arrest Outside PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler arrested on Friday as he arrived at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.

The athlete, currently the world’s no. 1 golfer, was in hot water with the police for trying to drive around a fatal accident scene that had caused a traffic backup.

He told ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington in a statement, “This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers.  It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions.  I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.”

Scheffler added,  “Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”

Darlington witnessed the arrest unfold around 6 a.m., and explained on air, “Scottie Scheffler has been detained by police officers, placed in the back of a police vehicle in handcuffs after he tried to pull around what he thought was security, and ended up being police officers.”

He went on, “They told him to stop. When he didn’t stop, the police officer attached himself to the vehicle. Scheffler then traveled another 10 yards before stopping the car. The police officer then grabbed at his arm, attempting to pull him out of the car before Scheffler eventually opened the door, at which point the police officer pulled Scheffler out of the car, pushed him up against the car, and immediately placed him in handcuffs.”

Darlington said that Scottie seemed “stunned” as he was walked over to a police car in cuffs and at one point looked toward the reporter and said, “Please help me.”

The journalist described the situation as moving “very quickly, very rapidly, very aggressively.”

He added that in that moment, officers did not understand that Scottie was a player in the championship.

Darlington also shared a video from the scene, where police tell him, “Back up or you're going to jail also!”

One officer insists, “Right now, he's going to jail. He’s going to jail and there's nothing you can do about it. Period.”

DailyMail.com adds that Scheffler is now facing a felony of second-degree assault of a police officer. He was also charged with third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.

The PGA Championship was delayed, and Scottie eventually returned around 9 a.m. in a black SUV.