PGA Champion Arrested Before Tee Time but Still Competes; Tragedy Strikes Louisville Golf Tournament

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler faced a tumultuous start at the PGA Championship as he was arrested on Friday morning by the Louisville Metro Police Department before his tee time at Valhalla Golf Club.

Scheffler’s arrest came following a tragic incident where John Mills, an event vendor, was struck and killed by a shuttle bus near the tournament venue. Despite the chaos, Scheffler managed to play and impressively shot a 5-under 66.

Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele continued his strong performance and maintained the lead, closely followed by Collin Morikawa, who birdied five in a row but finished with a bogey for a score of 65.

Valhalla Golf Club proved to be a forgiving course, with soft conditions and minimal wind favoring the players. Notably, Tiger Woods struggled with two triple bogeys and failed to make the cut.

Amid the tournament drama, the tragic death of John Mills cast a somber shadow over the event. Austin Eckroat, the winner of the Cognizant Classic, also had an unusual morning as he had to walk to the venue due to the traffic.

An incident report revealed that Detective Bryan Gillis from the Louisville Metro Police Department was injured while attempting to stop Scheffler from entering the golf club. Gillis suffered injuries to his wrist and knee after being dragged to the ground by Scheffler’s SUV.

Following his release from custody without bail, Scheffler managed to make it to Valhalla Golf Club just in time for his tee time after hiring an attorney and undergoing a series of legal procedures.

The PGA of America expressed condolences to the Mills family and assured full cooperation with authorities to investigate the incident. Mayor Craig Greenberg also extended sympathies to the family and highlighted the tragic loss of life that occurred in the morning accident.

As the tournament progresses, the focus remains on the golfers’ performances, but the day’s events have underscored the unpredictability and challenges faced both on and off the course.