Scottie Scheffler lawyer explains what led to early morning arrest outside PGA Championship

Following Scottie Scheffler’s arrest and subsequent release from the Louisville Police Department, the PGA tour golfer’s lawyer is speaking out about what happened in the early hours of Friday morning. Arrested outside of the Valhalla Golf Club, Scheffler had what his lawyer describes as a miscommunication with the officer directing traffic. According to Steve Romines, the golfer pulled out his credential to go around the traffic caused by a pedestrian fatality on the road an hour before, but the miscommunication led to the incident between Scheffler and an officer.

“He was going into Valhalla to work out and get ready for his tee time,” Romines explained on Friday morning. “They were directing traffic. He held his media credential out and was going in like they’d been instructed to and apparently, there had been a traffic accident or maybe even a fatality down the road, and that it changed the traffic patterns. And he was unaware of that. I think the officer that was directing traffic was maybe not part of the event traffic detail. And so that’s where the miscommunication arose.”

“They are allowed to go through,” Romines added. “That’s why they have the credentials. They’re waived through. So, unaware that there had been a wreck, they proceeded like they had been instructed to.”

Just spoke with Steve Romines, lawyer for Scottie Scheffler @WLKY pic.twitter.com/Ui1S4q4lS7

— Madison Elliott (@MadisonWLKY) May 17, 2024

Following his early Friday morning arrest, cameras snagged Scheffler entering the club shortly prior to his 10:08 a.m. ET tee time. Valhalla Golf Club owner Jimmy Kirchdorfer picked the former Texas star up from jail and rode with him to the course. Scheffler proceeded to the players’ locker room and then went out to the driving range to prepare for his tee-off.

Scheffler arrested before Round 2 of PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler was attempting to enter Valhalla Golf Club early on Friday morning when there was a pedestrian-involved fatality causing a traffic jam. While other golfers entered the course around the traffic, Scheffler was stopped by police. Per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, the golfer continued driving despite being told by police to stop. At that point, the officer latched onto Scheffler’s car. The golfer did not realize it was a police officer, per Darlington.

Scheffler was booked on charges of assault of a police officer in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.

World No. 1 golfer preparing to tee off following arrest

Prior to his tee-off, Scheffer spoke briefly with Jeff Darlington, who was the reporter on the scene at the time of his arrest. He explained the situation in his own words.

“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers,” Scheffler said. “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.  I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.

“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning.  It truly puts everything in perspective.”

The pedestrian-involved fatality occurred before Scheffler arrived at Valhalla on Friday morning. The PGA announced that the pedestrian killed was one of the workers for a vendor at the event.