World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was detained in handcuffs by police outside Valhalla Golf Club in a bizarre misunderstanding on Friday morning.
In remarkable footage, which flooded social media, Scheffler was seen being led into a police car in handcuffs as he tried to enter the club before his second round of the PGA Championship.
‘Can you please help me?’ a panicked Scheffler could be heard asking in the stunning clip.
He found himself on the wrong side of law enforcement when officers reportedly asked him to stop his vehicle, only for Scheffler to keep driving while a cop clung on to his car.
The incident occurred as the second round of the PGA Championship was delayed Friday due to a fatal accident near the club.
A pedestrian was hit and killed by a shuttle bus outside the golf course. Scheffler was not involved in the accident but he was caught in a massive traffic backup around Valhalla.
Scottie Scheffler was detained in handcuffs by police outside Valhalla Golf Club on Friday
‘Can you please help me?’ a panicked Scheffler could be heard asking eyewitnesses
The world No 1 was involved in a bizarre misunderstanding with officers following an accident
The world No 1 was due to tee off for his second round at 8:48 ET alongside Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman. That has now been pushed back to 10.08.
According to ESPN, Scheffler was trying to enter the course, with media told that players would be allowed through the gates – even as everyone else was kept out.
It’s claimed the officers had no idea who Scheffler was. ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington claimed: ‘One police officer came up to me with his pad and said – pen in hand – can you tell me the name of the person we’ve just arrested?’
As the golfer was led away, Darlington – who filmed the incident – attempted to get the attention of officers. He was warned: ‘Back up or you’re going to jail also!’
The incident occurred as the second round was delayed Friday due to a fatal accident
‘Right now, he’s going to jail,’ another officer said. ‘He’s going to jail and there’s nothing you can do about it. Period.’
It is claimed that confusion arose as Scheffler tried to navigate his way around a traffic cordon set up following the accident. The entrances to Valhalla were swarming with dozens of cop cars on Friday morning.
According to Darlington the situation moved ‘very quickly, very rapidly, very aggressively’. Scheffler was put in a squad car – still in handcuffs – before reportedly being released.
It’s claimed that Scheffler was unaware that the person he was dealing with was a police officer. According to Sky Sports, Scheffler had been released by around 7am local time.
Players are given courtesy cars and, according to ESPN, another player arrived at Valhalla around 5.45am before attempting to move around the cordon – just as Scheffler did. When officers saw the markings on his car, he was waved through without incident.
Scheffler sits in a tie for 12th after ending his first round on four-under-par. As is typical for players at a major championship, the world No 1 was arriving at Valhalla around three hours early.
Players reach the course in good time in order to have breakfast, work out and go through their warm-up before heading to the first tee.
