Zinger Key Points
- A winner of four of his last five golf tournaments, Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win the PGA Championship.
- Scheffler was arrested Friday morning before being released to take part in the second round of the tournament.
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It was just over a month ago that world number-one golfer Scottie Scheffler was taking part in the Masters Tournament with the possibility of his wife going into labor and him needing to make a quick exit from the event.
While bettors were faced with the tough decision of factoring that into if he could win the major golf tournament, they are now left with questioning how the golfer will handle getting arrested in between the first two rounds of the PGA Championship.
What Happened: Scheffler, who has been one of the most dominant golfers in recent years, was arrested Friday morning outside the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, by Louisville Metro Police.
The arrest came after Scheffler tried to drive around stopped traffic related to a traffic accident earlier in the morning near the golf course.
Scheffler's mug shot has circulated online and a list of his four charges has been revealed to be one felony charge of second-degree assault on a police officer and three misdemeanor charges. The misdemeanor charges are third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregard for signals from an officer directing traffic.
Louisville Metro Department of Corrections told ESPN that Scheffler was released at 8:40 a.m. ET Friday.
Scheffler was transported by Valhalla Golf Club co-owner Jimmy Kirchdorfer from jail to the club ahead of 10:08 a.m. ET tee time for the second round of the tournament, according to ESPN.
"This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers," Scheffler said in a statement shared by ESPN. "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."
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington shared a video of Scheffler's arrest. Darlington, who said he witnessed the incident, said Scheffler tried to drive around traffic on the median and was instructed by a police officer to stop. The reporter said the police officer attached himself to the side of Scheffler's car.
Scheffler's attorney Steven Romines told ESPN that the golfer was doing as he was instructed to get to the golf course Friday.
"He was getting ready for his tee time. They were directing traffic. He held his credential out and was going in like they'd been instructed to," Romines said.
Romines said Scheffler was unaware of the accident.
Betting Odds: Scheffler entered the PGA Championship as the betting favorite with odds of +400 from sportsbook DraftKings Inc DKNG.
Xander Schauffele shot -9 on Thursday to top the leaderboard and become the new favorite entering Friday with odds of +250. Scheffler's odds dropped to +500, ranking third behind Schauffele and Rory McIlroy (+450).
After being released from jail Friday, Scheffler hit a birdie on his first hole to drop from a tie for 11th place to a tie for sixth place at -5. His betting odds quickly dropped to +400, only trailing Schauffele.
Scheffler has won four of his past five starts, including the Masters Tournament in April. In 10 tournaments for the 2024 season, Scheffler has made 10 cuts, finished in the top 10 nine times, has 10 top 25 finishes and four wins. Scheffler earned $18.7 million in the current season.
One bettor who's backing Scheffler to win the tournament after being jailed is Barstool Sportsbook founder Dave Portnoy.
"I will ride with my guy Scottie Scheffler through the bowels of hell," Portnoy posted with a betting slip.
The bet, made with DraftKings, shows Portnoy wagering $50,000 on Scheffler to win the PGA Championship at odds of +650. The bet would pay out a profit of $325,000 if Scheffler wins.
Portnoy also showed off a Free Scottie shirt available in the Barstool store featuring the golfer’s mug shot.
The PGA Championship runs Thursday through Sunday with television coverage on Thursday and Friday coming from ESPN and ESPN+, units of Walt Disney Co DIS. Saturday and Sunday coverage is shared between ESPN, ESPN+ and Paramount Global PARAPARAA owned CBS.
The tournament could see a boost in viewership and interest with this new storyline.
Photo: Scottie Scheffler in practice round prior to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 13, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo Mateo Villalba Via Shutterstock
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