Arrest Report Details Accusations Against Scottie Scheffler Following Valhalla Incident

The citation says Scheffler “refused to comply" with the officer's instructions before his car "accelerated forward" and dragged him to the ground

Scottie Scheffler during the first round of the PGA Championship
Accusations against Scottie Scheffler have been revealed in an arrest citation
(Image credit: Getty Images)

An arrest citation has been published that explains the events that led to the arrest of Scottie Scheffler before the second round of the PGA Championship.

The World No.1 was detained in the early hours of Friday morning when trying to gain access to Valhalla, supposedly because of a misunderstanding over traffic flow following a fatal accident.

Scheffler was later charged with “second-degree assault of a police office, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic,” before being returned to the course to begin his second round.

Before resuming his challenge for a second Major title of the year, Scheffler released a statement explaining his side of the matter, which read: “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.”

Scottie Scheffler during the second round of the PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler was able to make his tee time, despite being arrested earlier in the day

(Image credit: Getty Images)

However, Louisville police have a different take on the matter. The citation, published on X by ESPN SportsCenter anchor Michael Eaves, states that Detective Bryan Gillis, who was “in full LMPD uniform and a hi-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket,” had been directing traffic to the course when he stopped Scheffler in his car.

It then states he “attempted to give instructions,” but Scheffler “refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground.”

It goes on to state that the detective “suffered pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist and knee,” before explaining that he was “taken to the hospital for further medical treatment,” while his uniform pants, which were valued at around $80, were “damaged beyond repair.”

Following the incident, Scheffler is due to appear in court on Tuesday, May 21 at 9am.

The PGA of America has confirmed that the earlier accident, which didn’t involve Scheffler, had seen a vendor at the event tragically pass away.

A statement from the organization read: “This morning we were devastated to learn that a worker with one of our vendors was tragically struck and killed by a shuttle bus outside Valhalla Golf Club.

“This is heartbreaking to all of us involved with the PGA Championship. We extend our sincere condolences to their family and loved ones.”

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.