Scheffler detained by police at PGA Championship for not following orders after traffic fatality

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was detained by police Friday morning on his technique to the PGA Championship, with pictures displaying him handcuffed as he was led to a police automotive. ESPN reported he didn’t observe police orders throughout a pedestrian fatality investigation.

Traffic was backed up for a few mile in each instructions on the one highway that results in Valhalla Golf Club, with dozens of police automobiles flashing red-and-blue lights close to the doorway.

Police mentioned a pedestrian had been struck by a bus whereas crossing the highway in a lane that was devoted to event site visitors.

ESPN mentioned Scheffler, the No. 1 participant on the planet who was to begin the second spherical at 8:48 a.m., drove previous a police officer in his SUV with markings on the door indicating it was a PGA Championship car. ESPN mentioned Scheffler drove previous an officer, who screamed at him to cease after which connected himself to the automotive till Scheffler stopped about 10 yards later.

Jeff Darlington of ESPN watched this unfold. He mentioned police pulled Scheffler out of the automotive, pushed him up towards the automotive and instantly positioned him in handcuffs.

“Scheffler was then walked over to the police car, placed in the back, in handcuffs, very stunned about what was happening, looked toward me as he was in those handcuffs and said, ‘Please help me,’” Darlington mentioned. “He very clearly did not know what was happening in the situation. It moved very quickly, very rapidly, very aggressively.”

The PGA of America didn’t instantly have a remark.

The second spherical has been delayed by 1 hour, 20 minutes, which means Scheffler was not as a consequence of play till slightly after 10 a.m.

With automobiles backed within the morning darkness, different PGA-marked autos tried to maneuver slowly towards the doorway. Traffic lastly started to maneuver slowly slightly earlier than 7 a.m.

It was a surreal begin to what already has been a wild week of climate — the Masters champion and top-ranked on the planet, wearing exercise garments together with his palms in cuffs behind his again amid flashing flights.

Darlington mentioned police weren’t positive who he was. He mentioned an officer requested him to depart and when he recognized himself being with the media, he was advised, “There’s nothing you can do. He’s going to jail.”

Darlington mentioned one other police officer later approached with a notepad and requested if he knew the title of the individual they put in handcuffs.

Scheffler is coming off 4 victories in his final 5 tournaments, together with his second Masters title. He was dwelling in Dallas the final three weeks ready on the beginning of his first little one, a son that was born May 8.

Scheffler opened with a 4-under 67 and was 5 pictures out of the lead as he tries to grow to be solely the fifth participant since 1960 to win the primary two majors of the yr.