Louisville officials conducted an internal investigation into an incident involving PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler before the second round of the PGA Championship. The officer who initially interacted with Scheffler was cited for failing to follow departmental procedure during the arrest. Charges against Scheffler have not been dropped, and LMPD will let the judicial process unfold. Detective Bryan Gillis received “corrective action” for not turning on his body camera during the incident, which was a violation of department policy.
The Louisville Mayor and Police Chief announced the investigation’s findings during a press conference, where they released two videos of the incident outside Valhalla Golf Club. The videos do not capture the initial interaction between Gillis and Scheffler, but show the chaotic scene with flashing lights and rain causing visibility issues. Despite the lack of video evidence of the initial incident, both officials stated that they would respect the judicial process and allow the courts to proceed accordingly. Scottie Scheffler’s attorney has maintained his client’s innocence and stated that they are prepared to go to trial to prove it.
An arraignment for Scheffler was delayed to June 3, and he has since traveled to Texas to play in another tournament. Due to facing a felony charge, he will be required to be in court in Louisville on June 3, which conflicts with his scheduled participation in the Memorial Tournament. The incident involving Scheffler occurred outside Valhalla Golf Club, where a security guard was killed when a shuttle bus hit him, creating a chaotic scene that led to Scheffler’s interaction with police and subsequent arrest. Scheffler has contested the police report’s version of events, stating that he was proceeding as directed and there was a misunderstanding of instructions in the chaotic situation.
After being removed from his vehicle, handcuffed, and taken to jail for booking, Scheffler was able to compete in the PGA Championship and shot a 66 on Friday before falling out of contention over the weekend. Fans showed support for Scheffler by wearing “Free Scottie” t-shirts, despite the allegations against him. The incident has brought newfound attention to Scheffler, who has won multiple Masters titles. Despite the charges and the ongoing legal process, Scheffler and his attorney maintain his innocence and are prepared to go to trial if necessary.
