The golf world was left in utter shock as world primary Scottie Scheffler was arrested trying to enter the Valhalla course for the second spherical of the PGA Championship – the second main of 2024.
In video shared to social media that exhibits Scheffler being taken away in handcuffs, a police officer says: “Proper now, he’s going to jail. He’s going to jail and there’s nothing you are able to do about it. Interval. There’s nothing you are able to do about it.”
‘HE’S GOING TO JAIL’: Scheffler arrested at PGA Champs in unbelievable scene
One ESPN reporter stated: “There have been, I don’t know what number of dozen police vehicles on the market close to the doorway. It occurred someplace very near the doorway of the golf membership. There have been 50 police vehicles possibly, on the market after we arrived. Scotty Scheffler’s incident will not be associated to that – (it’s) separate from that.
“Scotty was making an attempt to get on property. We have been advised gamers have been going to be allowed to get by way of the gate onto the golf course. No person else was going to be allowed however gamers, coaches have been going to be allowed to get onto the property. Scottie was making an attempt to do this …”
ESPN golf reporter Jeff Darlington, who was on the scene, reported: “Coming into Valhalla golf membership this morning, we witnessed a automobile pull spherical us. That was Scottie Scheffler was within the automobile … Scottie Scheffler has been detained by law enforcement officials. (He) was positioned at the back of a police automobile in hand cuffs after he tried to tug round what he believed to be safety, ended up being law enforcement officials. They advised him to cease.
“When he didn’t cease, the police officer hooked up himself to the automobile. Scheffler then travelled one other ten yards earlier than stopping the automobile.
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“The police officer then grabbed at his arm trying to tug him out of the automobile earlier than Scheffler ultimately opened the door, at which level the police officer pulled Scheffler out of the automobile, pushed him up in opposition to the automobile and instantly positioned him in handcuffs.
“Scheffler was then walked over to the police automobile, positioned within the again in handcuffs, very surprised about what was taking place. (He) regarded in the direction of me as he was in these handcuffs and stated: ‘please assist me’.
“He very clearly didn’t know what was taking place within the state of affairs. It moved in a short time, very quickly, very aggressively.
“He was detained in that police automobile for about 20 minutes.”
He added: “The law enforcement officials at that time didn’t perceive that Scottie Scheffler was a golfer in that match. Nor, after all, that he was the primary golfer on the earth.”
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He continued that he was requested by a police officer: “Law enforcement officials across the patrol automobile which Scottie Scheffler was in had no concept that he was even Scottie Scheffler. I say that as a result of one police officer can as much as me along with his (observe) pad and stated, pen in hand: ‘Are you able to inform me the identify of the person who we simply arrested?’”
Australia’s Min Woo Lee, competing this week, cheekily replied: “#FreeScottie” on Twitter, whereas the remainder of {the golfing} world was left in utter shock.
In his post-round press convention, Lee stated he although it was “an overreaction” from the police.
“Personally I went round visitors, and I used to be following vehicles — a Lexus automobile that was one of many courtesy vehicles. I simply thought it was extra — I assumed it was a little bit of an overreaction,” he stated.
“Lots of people have been doing it. He was in a courtesy automobile, too, so I don’t know what sort of brought about it… there was no actually which means to it.
“I simply thought it was an overreaction, and I simply needed to make it a state of affairs the place — it was only a unusual morning.”
Lee stated he had arrived round 5.30am after discovering himself caught in the identical visitors as Scheffler.
“Clearly it’s very unhappy in regards to the information. Then clearly Scottie, what occurred to Scottie,” he stated.
“It was only a bizarre one. Clearly a lot visitors. I don’t know, I used to be a bit shook about what occurred on each the eventualities.
“I imply, through the spherical it was even arduous to simply focus, and I had to verify to maintain my head within the recreation as a result of I wouldn’t need that to occur to anybody, and yeah, clearly what occurred to Scottie was very scary, too.”
Austin Eckroat, in the meantime, stated he ended up getting out of his automobile and strolling a mile and a half and getting his spouse to drive the automobile in.
“One thing I’ve by no means skilled. It was a tragedy adopted by a bizarre incident,” he stated.
“I used to be questioning how unhealthy the incident was as a result of the visitors was so unhealthy, we have been in a standstill, so I pulled up the native information station making an attempt to determine what was occurring, and the very first thing I noticed was Scottie had been put in handcuffs, and I used to be like, what on the earth is happening. It was a bizarre morning.”
Harris English echoed these sentiments, telling reporters it was “not the traditional quiet arrival”.
“I used to be most likely beginning to come into the membership round 5:05, 0:10, so I assume I acquired there proper after all of the police vehicles acquired there. I had no thought what was occurring. I knew they weren’t letting anyone by way of from that facet I used to be arriving from, so I needed to flip round, go north of the course, took an additional 20 minutes or so, after which I acquired to show into the membership,” he stated.
“However it’s darkish, it’s raining, police lights all over the place. It was very unusual coming into the course this morning. Not the traditional quiet arrival.
“Clearly acquired right here this morning, then information broke that Scottie had been detained and all that. We had no thought what was occurring. That would have been any one in all us. We’re all taking that very same route coming into the membership.
“Very unlucky. You by no means wish to hear about an individual dropping their life coming to the course. It’s simply horrible. We’re out right here enjoying a golf match, and someone simply acquired killed exterior the doorway, which may be very unlucky, and our coronary heart goes out to that household.”