The arrest of Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked male golfer from the United States, has taken an unexpected turn.
Golf Channel reported on the morning of the 22nd (Korean time) that the Louisville Police are investigating whether the officer followed proper procedures when arresting Scheffler during last week’s PGA Championship.
Scheffler was arrested near the entrance of the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky before the second round on the 17th. The tournament was delayed by about 80 minutes as he was released after taking a mugshot. Scheffler was reportedly arrested for not following the instructions of an officer who was handling a traffic accident.
At the time, the police arrested Scheffler on the spot for four charges, including reckless driving, disregarding signals, and assaulting a police officer. However, it was pointed out that the police officer’s body cam was not operating at the time of Scheffler’s arrest. According to Louisville Police regulations, all officers must always be equipped with body cameras and record all activities. This procedure was not followed during Scheffler’s arrest.
Although the officer’s body camera was not working, it was reported that the scene was captured through CCTV across the street. A Louisville Police official said, “An internal investigation is underway,” and announced the release of additional information on the 24th. In the United States, assaulting a police officer is considered an extremely serious crime.
Despite the chaotic situation, Scheffler tied for eighth place in the PGA Championship and will compete in this week’s PGA Tour Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas, where he resides. The trial related to this arrest will be held next month. On the issue, Scheffler said, “There was a big misunderstanding and it will be handled properly.”