Jail time can’t slow Scheff ler at wild PGA Championship
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Scottie Scheffler was in handcuffs before dawn in the back of a police car. His warmup routine began in a jail cell. And some six hours later, Scheffler remarkably signed for a 5-under 66 and was right in the mix Friday at the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele, fresh off his record start of 62, was not letting up in a bid to end two years without a win by capturing his first major. He had to settle for pars over his last seven holes for a 68 and was at 12-under 130, one shot ahead of Collin Morikawa.
Morikawa birdied five in a row down the stretch only to end with a bogey for a 65. Tiger Woods had two triple bogeys and missed the cut.
They all were mere footnotes on a day that was beyond belief.
“I feel like my head is still spinning,” Scheffler said.
The world’s No. 1 player and Masters champion was driving to Valhalla about
6 a.m. when he ran into traffic, unaware police were investigating a pedestrian — John Mills, who worked for a vendor at the tournament — being struck and killed by a shuttle bus near the entrance.
Scheffler was arrested for failing to follow police instructions. The arrest report indicated a Louisville Metro police officer was dragged to the ground as Scheffler’s car drove by, causing swelling and abrasions on the officer’s left wrist. Scheffler said it was a “chaotic situation” and he never intended to disregard the police instructions. “A big misunderstanding,” he said.
“I can’t imagine what they’re going through. I feel for them,” he said of Mills’ family. “My situation will get handled.”
Scheffler was handcuffed and taken into custody. The winner of a Masters green jacket posed for a mugshot wearing orange jail garb. He could see from the holding cell video of his arrest on ESPN. His heart was racing and his body was shaking.
“I did spend some time stretching in a jail cell. That was a first for me,” Scheffler said. “I was just sitting there 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. I started going through my routine and I tried to get my heart rate down as much as I could today.
“I was fortunate to be able to make it back out and play some golf today.”
Not just any golf. He hit a wedge to three feet for birdie on his first hole. He was solid from tee-to-green, made a few putts and had a round that ranked among his best under the circumstances.
“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.”
The long day — there was a delay of one hour, 20 minutes because of the accident — finally ended in darkness with 18 players still to finish. They were to return this morning. The cut, though not final, would be a PGA Championship record of at least 1-under par.
Valhalla is soft and defenceless, and hardly any wind made it even easier.
Schauffele stalled at the end, making his first bogey on the par-3 11th hole. He lost one good birdie chance on the par-5 18th when he had mud on his golf ball, which explained why a good swing produced a wild hook into the hay.
“We’re pro golfers, we’re not professional mud readers,” Schauffele said. “So I was praying that the mud on my ball wasn’t going to do something, and I felt like I made a really nice pass at it and I look up and my ball’s just duck-hooking across the property.”