LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Somehow, some way, Scottie Scheffler made it look easy.
Scheffler, who was arrested just after 6 a.m. ET after a traffic incident just outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club (“a chaotic situation” and “a big misunderstanding,” he said), shot a 5-under 66 after stretching this morning in a jail cell — a first, he said, obviously.
“I was just sitting (in the jail cell) waiting and I started going through my warmup, I felt like there was a chance I may be able to still come out here and play,” Scheffler said. “I started going through my routine and I tried to get my heart rate down as much as I could today, (but) I still feel like my head is spinning a little bit.
“But I was fortunate to be able to make it back out and play some golf today.”
Scheffler arrived less than an hour prior to his second-round tee time and had an abbreviated warm-up. He heads into the weekend just three shots back of the lead held by Xander Schauffele.
Galleries were deep and boisterous all day. T-shirts were spotted through the property that already boasted Scheffler’s mug shot, many of which said, "Free Scottie." There was even someone in an orange jumpsuit.
“I knew there was going to be a lot of distractions, but I didn't really know what the reception would be like,” Scheffler said. “To be honest with you, it was great having the fans behind me. They cheered for me really loud. I felt like they were really glad to have me out competing today, and it was a nice day to come out here and compete.”
Scheffler hit his tee shot on his opening hole into the right-side rough, but after a wedge from less than 100 yards landed within three feet, he opened with a birdie.
He bogeyed the next hole but added a birdie on Nos. 12 and 18 to make the turn with a 2-under 34.
Scheffler made birdies on Nos. 2, 4, and 7 and, through the early part of the afternoon wave, remained first in strokes gained: off the tee and strokes gained: tee to green.
He admitted it took him a few holes for the golf to “feel normal” on Friday because he’s a “big routine guy” and it was, obviously, thrown off Friday morning.
“My main focus after getting arrested was wondering if I could be able to come back out here and play, and fortunately I was able to do that. It was nice to put together a solid round today for sure,” Scheffler said.
“It was kind of nice just to be out there inside the ropes competing. It's one of my favourite things in the world to do, so I was fortunate to be able to come out here and do it again today.”
Scheffler has won four of his last five starts on the PGA Tour — including the Masters — and was very much the betting favourite heading into this week. Many expected Scheffler to make a second-round move, but no one could have predicted how his day would have started.
Per the PGA of America, a tournament staffer (later identified as Louisvillian John Mills) was killed in the accident as he was reporting to work at Valhalla Golf Club just after 5 a.m. ET.
“Our preliminary investigation found that an adult male pedestrian was crossing Shelbyville Road south to north when he was struck by a shuttle bus that was travelling eastbound in the compulsory centre lane dedicated for buses. As a result, the pedestrian received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene,” a statement from Louisville Police Department said.
With the road in front of Valhalla closed in both directions and under heavy police presence, ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington said Scheffler — who was attempting to get into the golf club to prepare for his second-round tee time — attempted to drive past a police officer into the golf club. The officer then “attached himself” to Scheffler’s car, according to Darlington.
“Right now, he’s going to jail. He’s going to jail. And there ain’t nothing you can do about it,” a police officer was seen saying in a video posted by Darlington.
In a statement posted on Scheffler’s Instagram account before he teed off, he said he was “proceeding as directed by police officers.”
After his round, Scheffler reiterated his sympathies to Mills.
“I can’t imagine what they’re going through this morning. One day he’s heading to the golf course to the tournament. A few moments later he’s trying to cross the street, and now he’s no longer with us,” Scheffler said. “My heart – I feel sorry for them. I’m sorry.
“My situation will get handled.”
Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg said following the tragedy from first thing this morning, Louisville Metro PD had stopped traffic to assist with its investigation into the fatal accident.
“It is unfortunate that an incident took place between an LMPD officer and Mr. Scheffler while he was attempting to enter Valhalla,” Greenberg said in a statement. “LMPD is fully investigating this incident and the legal process will proceed.”
Arraignment has been scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m., less than 48 hours after the tournament ends.
Scheffler said at no point did he “name-drop himself” to try to get out of his situation. In fact, Scheffler said he was rattled and found himself shaking for nearly an hour. The officer who drove Scheffler to jail, he said, helped to calm him down and some of the officers who processed Scheffler’s arrest at the station began to make jokes when they found out who he was. An older officer even offered him a sandwich.
“(The officer) looked at me as I was doing my fingerprints or whatever and he looks at me and goes, ‘So, do you want the full experience today?' I kind of looked at him and was I was like, ‘I don’t know how to answer that,’” Scheffler said.
Scheffler was without his phone or watch when he was in the jail cell and he admitted he wasn’t sure if he would make his tee time until he saw himself getting arrested on ESPN, and there was a timestamp on the television.
For everything that occurred Friday morning, Scheffler remains very much in the mix heading into the weekend. Schauffele leads by one over Collin Morikawa who shot a 6-under 65 — tied for the low round of the day.
He’s looking to become just the sixth true wire-to-wire winner in PGA Championship history. Schauffele has been inside the top 10 through 36 holes at a major six times in his career but has never won. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since 2022.
“When you haven't won a golf tournament in a few years, you have to be pretty resilient. I'm just patient and trying to play the best golf I can and stay out of my own way,” Schauffele said. “I know I'm playing really good golf right now, and all I could do is focus on my process and my talk with (my caddie) and that's about it.”
Scheffler, who ran down Schauffele earlier this year with a final-round charge at The Players Championship, is looking to become just the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two majors of the year. He did his normal post-round routine, which included some post-round practice and a gym session and a session with his trainer before leaving the property to get some rest – because there’s still two more rounds to play.
For everything that occurred Friday morning, Scheffler remains very much in the mix heading into the weekend. Collin Morikawa shot a 6-under 65 — including five birdies in a row on his second nine — and sits at 11 under through 36 holes.
Scheffler, who is looking to become just the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two majors of the year, said he would do his normal post-round routine (likely featuring a bit more post-round practice than usual, depending on his energy levels), go to the gym, do his movement routine with his trainer, and get some rest.
Because there’s still two more rounds to play.
“As far as best rounds of my career, I would say it was pretty good,” Scheffler said. “I definitely never imagined ever going to jail, and I definitely never imagined going to jail the morning before one of my tee times for sure.”
