LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested after police say he dragged an officer whereas attempting to get across the scene of a deadly accident Friday forward of the second spherical of the PGA Championship.

The 27-year-old Scheffler, the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer, was making an attempt to get to Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky, round 6 a.m. when police say he illegally bypassed the scene of an accident the place a pedestrian was killed.

Scheffler was charged with a number of counts, together with second-degree assault of a police officer and reckless driving. He was booked and had his mugshot taken earlier than being launched. Scheffler known as the chain of occasions a “massive misunderstanding.”

He returned to Valhalla in time for his 10:08 a.m. tee time. Scheffler acquired a loud ovation from followers when he was launched, then birdied his first gap of the day, the par-5 tenth.

WHO IS SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER?

Scheffler arrived at Valhalla this week as a heavy favourite following a run of dominance within the sport not seen since Tiger Woods’ prime. He entered play Thursday having gained 4 of the final 5 tournaments he entered, together with the Masters — one among golf’s 4 main occasions — final month at Augusta Nationwide in Augusta, Georgia.

The soft-spoken Texan is an unlikely star. He fell in love with the sport as a baby, generally hitting balls at nighttime in northern New Jersey whereas his father, Scott, held a flashlight.

The Schefflers moved to Dallas throughout Scottie’s childhood, with Scott Scheffler serving as a stay-at-home dad whereas Scheffler’s mom, Diane, labored because the CEO at a legislation agency.

Scheffler performed a number of sports activities rising up earlier than finally selecting golf. He’s hardly the one participant within the household. His sister Callie performed collegiately at Texas A&M.

He and his spouse, Meredith, had been high-school sweethearts and the Schefflers paint a portrait of a really unassuming life regardless of Scottie’s jet-fueled rise to fame that started in 2022 when he claimed his first Masters title. The method has solely sped up over the previous few months as Scheffler turned his hole over world No. 2 Rory McIlroy into extra of a canyon.

Scheffler is an admitted homebody who prefers enjoying board video games and enjoyable by watching Instagram movies quite than indulging within the trappings of his success. He has gained greater than $61 million already in his profession, together with $18 million this season alone.

The Schefflers welcomed their first baby, son Bennett, on Could 8, main Scottie to replicate not too long ago on how his life has performed out.

“I married my highschool sweetheart and I at all times needed to play skilled golf, and now I’m right here,” he mentioned. “I used to be sitting there with a new child in my arms and the inexperienced jacket within the closet. It was a fairly particular time.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO SCHEFFLER AT THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP?

Scheffler was making an attempt to get to Valhalla for an early stretch/exercise forward of his second-round tee time, initially scheduled for 8:48 a.m.

A vendor working on the course was struck and killed by a bus simply after 5 a.m. whereas attempting to cross a four-lane highway. Visitors was backed up in each instructions heading into the course whereas police performed an investigation.

Scheffler was driving previous the scene at round 6 a.m. when a police officer advised him to cease. Police say the officer hooked up himself to the automobile Scheffler was working. Scheffler stopped, and the officer ordered Scheffler out of the automotive earlier than placing him in handcuffs.

Louisville police say the officer was despatched to the hospital after being dragged “to the bottom” and struggling “ache, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist” after Scheffler’s automobile “accelerated ahead.”

A spokesperson for Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg mentioned Saturday there isn’t a police physique digicam video of the preliminary encounter between Scheffler and the officer. The officer was directing site visitors on the time, and the division’s officers usually don’t document video with their physique cameras whereas directing site visitors, Kevin Trager, the mayor’s press secretary, wrote in a textual content message to an Related Press reporter.

Scheffler was booked at 7:28 a.m. — about 2 1/2 hours earlier than his up to date tee time after the second spherical was delayed due to the fatality. He donned an orange jumpsuit and had his mugshot taken earlier than being launched. Scheffler mentioned in a press release he by no means supposed to interrupt any site visitors legal guidelines, expressed sympathy for the “tragic accident” and detailed the sequence of occasions that led to his arrest as a “massive misunderstanding.”

The world’s top-ranked golfer then returned to Valhalla simply after 9 a.m., rising from the clubhouse about 20 minutes later to start preparations for his spherical. Carrying a white hat and quarter-zip jacket, he acquired an ovation as he made his option to the driving vary, with one fan yelling “Free Scottie!”

There was a way of normalcy as Scheffler went by way of his routine. Fellow PGA Tour participant Brendon Todd greeted Scheffler by saying “good to see you.” Todd then confirmed Scheffler one thing on Todd’s cellphone, drawing a small chuckle from each.

Scheffler joined enjoying companions Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman on the tenth tee, with the gallery erupting when Scheffler was launched. Scheffler’s preliminary tee shot discovered the correct tough, although he ultimately stuffed his method shot on the par-5 to three ft and tapped in for birdie.

By the point Scheffler was on the midpoint of his spherical, followers had been already sporting white “Free Scottie” T-shirts as they stood behind the ropes a couple of yards away.

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