“I spent a while stretching in a prison cell. That was the start of my warm-up.”
If ever a quote summed up the breathtaking nature of Friday at the 106th US PGA Championship, this was it.
Scottie Scheffler – hitherto with an impeccable reputation – was placed in handcuffs at 6 a.m., charged with four misdemeanors within 90 minutes, released from custody in Louisville at 8:40 a.m. and onto the Valhalla tee at 10:08 a.m. His round of 66, in which he sat three shots behind leader Xander Schauffele, was in keeping with the remarkable events that preceded it.
Scheffler did nothing to mask how confused he had been as he was bundled into the back of a police car. “I was pretty upset to say the least,” Scheffler said. “I was never angry. Just in shock. I was shaking. I would say shocked and scared. Coming here and trying to play today was definitely a challenge, but I did my best to keep my mind in check and my breathing under control.
Scheffler is confident his screenplay “will be handled.” He added: “That will be resolved quite quickly.” He was commendable to the police officers who tried to keep his cool. “A few of them were joking when they found out who I was.” Sitting in a cell, Scheffler watched his own arrest on television. Withdrawing from the American PGA did not occur to him.
“And the next one to play, from Texas, Scottie Scheffler.” Wyndham Clark had already driven away. Brian Harman had done the same. The reigning US Open and Open champions were politely cheered on, with the atmosphere understandably dampened by the pouring rain. The starter’s mention of Scheffler’s name drew wild roars.
The 27-year-old has won major championships and continues to be in a period of sporting dominance. However, nothing has drawn as many galleries to Scheffler as this incident. “At no point did I try to name myself to defuse the situation,” Scheffler said. “I just tried to stay as calm as possible and follow the instructions.”
Scheffler hit his first tee shot into the right rough. He had a much more stressful ride earlier in the morning. The world No. 1 chipped back to the fairway, turned a 92-yard wedge shot into tap-in range and walked off the 10th green with a birdie four. Provide more bedlam.
The support for Scheffler was evident as he stepped onto the practice court. “Putting the city bankrupt!” one fan shouted. “Make the city pay!” I ordered another one. Louisville wrong, Scheffler right. Golf enthusiasts are firmly on the side of the golfer in this clash with the authorities. They chanted Scheffler’s name and drove him to victory. There were even bettors wearing T-shirts with Scheffler’s mugshot as he walked to the scoring hut. At that point he was just two off the lead.
Had Scheffler not been a guest of the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections, this would be nothing but a miserable big day in Kentucky. The crowd was electrified by Scheffler, the renegade. It also felt like the audience had been waiting for a reason to root for this person. Whether that says more about those spectators or Scheffler is another matter.
Of course there is also a tragic element in this story. The death of an on-site employee, John Mills, after a collision with a bus should not be forgotten in the battle surrounding Scheffler. It won’t be by the player himself. “My condolences go out to Mr. Mills’ family,” Scheffler said. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through. One day he goes to the golf course to watch a tournament. A little later he tries to cross the street and now he is no longer with us. I sympathize with them. I’m sorry.”
Still, it should be possible to express sympathy for what took place outside the gates at five in the morning and separately assess the astonishing scenes involving Scheffler, who had no idea an accident had occurred when he arrived. This is a sportsman who is normally so risk-averse. After signing for a three-under 68, clubhouse leader Xander Schauffele said: “What I’ve read with Scottie seems super unfortunate, he’s a solid guy and hopefully he comes out of it fine and unscathed.”
John Daly, who wrestled to an 82 on Thursday, withdrew from the tournament due to a thumb injury. If it had been the colorful Daly, and not Scheffler, who was embroiled in conflicts with the law, few would have raised an eyebrow. In fact, every other member of the 156-man field would appear ahead of Scheffler in any public poll that would make guesses as to the identity of the individual embroiled in the situation that unfolded here. This is what made it such a breathtaking drop.
The newsworthy element of day two in Valhalla only related to the terrible weather. Golf, a once tame environment, continues to find new ways to amaze.