Scottie Scheffler’s court date postponed after PGA arrest

Scottie Scheffler, the World No. 1 golfer, had his Kentucky arraignment hearing postponed regarding charges of assaulting a police officer. The hearing, originally set for Tuesday, has been rescheduled for June 3.

Scheffler, 27, was arrested early Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville, Kentucky. According to a police report, he tried to drive around traffic caused by a fatal accident near the country club and refused to stop when an officer on foot attempted to halt his vehicle, resulting in the officer sustaining minor injuries and being taken to a hospital.

Following his arrest, Scheffler faced charges including assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals. Despite speculation that the charges might be dropped, a spokesperson confirmed that they remain unchanged.

In a statement released by the PGA Tour, Scheffler explained his perspective on the incident, stating, “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.”

A lawyer representing Scheffler mentioned the need for additional time to gather video evidence of the incident, especially since the body camera of the involved officer was reported to be turned off by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.

Despite the arrest, Scheffler managed to return to the golf course in time to compete in the tournament’s second round, shooting a five-under-par 66. However, he struggled on Saturday with a 73, marking his first over-par round in nine months.

Xander Schauffele emerged victorious at the PGA Championship, securing his first major championship with a clutch birdie putt on the final hole to defeat Bryson Deschambeau by a single stroke. Scheffler ended in a tie for eighth place.