Scottie Scheffler Releases Statement After Arrest At PGA Championship

To say Scottie Scheffler had a wild Friday morning would be a slight understatement.

The world's No. 1 golfer presumably will make his 10:08 a.m. ET tee time, despite the fact he was arrested early Friday morning after a run-in with Louisville police. Scheffler was handcuffed, booked, had his mug shot taken and was charged with multiple crimes, including a felony. The traffic incident occurred after an unrelated accident in which a pedestrian was struck and killed by a shuttle bus.

Scheffler ultimately was released on his own recognizance and returned to Valhalla Golf Club for his second-round tee time. Scheffler's legal representation said they would let the process play out, but the reigning Masters champion released a statement ahead of his tee time.

"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," Scheffler said in a statement given to ESPN's Jeff Darlington. "I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I'm hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today."

Additionally, Scheffler expressed his "deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident," adding that it "truly puts everything in perspective."

Statement from Scottie Scheffler to me: “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…

    What do you think?  Leave a comment.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 17, 2024

The PGA Tour also released the statement from Scheffler.

Scheffler shot a first-round 67 on Thursday and finished the day five shots behind leader Xander Schauffele.