The weirdest golf story of our time seemingly concluded Wednesday with word from a Louisville courthouse that the four charges (three misdemeanors, one felony) leveled against the world’s top-ranked male golfer and reigning Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler, had been dismissed. The lead attorney for the prosecution, Mike O’Connell, had found no probable cause in his investigation of the events that led to Scheffler’s May 17 arrest and thus moved that the charges be dropped.
“Mr. Scheffler’s characterization that this was, quote, ‘A big misunderstanding,’ close quote, is corroborated by the evidence,” O’Connell told a judge at the Jefferson County Hall of Justice.
To borrow from the Grateful Dead, what a long, strange 12 days it’s been.
This mind-boggling episode, as if you need reminding, began on a Friday morning earlier this month in the pre-dawn darkness outside Valhalla Golf Club, site of the PGA Championship. Scheffler, who was attempting to escape a snarl of traffic just outside the gates, pulled into an adjacent lane where he was met by a police officer in a fluorescent vest who was none to impressed by Scheffler’s maneuvering. After a brief interaction with the officer, Scheffler pulled away toward the club entrance.
What happened next remains a mystery. The police report of the incident says that Det. Bryan Gillis was “dragged” by Scheffler’s SUV, leading to injuries to his left wrist and knee, and, in a detail that became immediate social-media catnip, damage to his uniform pants “valued at approximately $80;” eyewitnesses say the officer was either “attached” to or running alongside the vehicle and that he might have tripped; Scheffler, on this matter, hasn’t said much at all. Video evidence is also inconclusive: Gillis had not activated his body camera, and security-camera footage of the scene was obscured by a bus.
Gillis arrested Scheffler, who later that morning was taken to the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and charged with three driving-related misdemeanors and second-degree assault of a police officer, which is a felony. On Wednesday of this week, all of the charges were dropped with prejudice, meaning they cannot be filed again. Case closed.
After the court hearing, which Scheffler did not attend, Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, conducted a press conference outside the courthouse that was as much a victory lap as it was an information download. After reiterating that his client was ready to go to trial if the charges had not been dropped, Romines added that Scheffler had no interest in suing the Louisville Metro Police Department because he “wants to move on” and also wouldn’t want to stick Louisville taxpayers with the bill.
“Scottie Scheffler, you cannot find one person to say a bad word about him,” Romines gushed. “When he’s in a police car after being falsely arrested, he is still a perfect gentleman.”
As it happened, hours before the charges were dismissed, a new video was making the rounds on social media of Scheffler handcuffed in the back of the police car. The footage is from the body cam of another officer with whom Scheffler had spoken that morning.
“I did not know he was a police officer,” Scheffler says of Gillis. “I thought he was one of those security guards, I was mistaken. And I was pulling by, he—”
‘Panic kind of set in’: New Scottie Scheffler arrest video adds further context
“Wait, stop right there,” the officer interjects. “Why does that matter if he’s a security guard or a police officer?”
Scheffler: “Because—”
Officer: “Somebody’s telling you to stop.”
Scheffler: “You’re right. I should have stopped. I did get a little impatient because I’m quite late for my tee time. And as he was reaching into the car, he grabbed my shoulder and hit me, like—”
Officer: “Trying to get you to stop, right?”
Scheffler: “Yes.”
Officer: “OK.”
Scheffler: “It seemed to be a little bit over aggressive because the entrance was open. And I pulled [up] a little bit because I was afraid. I thought he was going to start hitting me and I didn’t know who he was. He didn’t tell me he was a police officer. All I saw was the yellow jacket. I didn’t know what he was doing.”
Romines, in his Wednesday press conference, was asked about Scheffler’s remarks from the back of the car and whether they contradicted Romines’ contention that Scheffler was blameless.
“The statements that Scottie made after the arrest don’t seem to fully align with what you are saying right now,” said Natalia Martinez, a reporter from Wave 3, Louisville’s NBC affiliate. “He admits that he got impatient and went too far.”
Romines heatedly replied: “No, here’s what happened. He is being interrogated after the most stressful situation of his life and an officer is asking him leading questions trying to get him to agree with him. And that’s why you don’t talk to police, because they are going to try and put words in your mouth.
“They are trying to get him to confess to something he didn’t do, and the video evidence shows he didn’t do it.”
Scheffler’s own words, in a statement released Wednesday, struck a gentler tone than his lawyer’s.
“As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding,” Scheffler’s statement reads. “I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis. I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same. Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation.”
Gillis also released a statement, seemingly on his own volition given the absence of police department branding on the letterhead. The top of the one-page note, which Gillis shared with Wave 3, includes only the date and FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
“Mr. Scheffler and I both agree there will be no ill will over this going forward,” Gillis wrote. “Instead of giving a negative public reaction, he chose to speak with dignity, humility and respect. My family and I appreciate that.”
Gillis then expressed his regret for Romines’ courthouse remarks.
“It was unfortunate and disturbing to hear Steve Romines’ commentary today claiming that a ‘false arrest’ was made and for him to challenge my honesty and integrity. I’d be surprised and disappointed if Mr. Scheffler actually had any part in making those statements. To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and received visible injuries to my knees and wrist. I’m going to recover from it, and it will be okay. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident.”
Only it wasn’t.
In what is perhaps a fitting bookend to the wild and unpredictable events of the last nearly two weeks, Gillis added a surprising and surreal postscript to the end of his statement.
“Yes, the department has us buying freaking $80 pants,” he wrote, tongue firmly in cheek. “To those concerned, they were indeed ruined. But Scottie, it’s all good. I never would’ve guessed I’d have the most famous pair of pants in the country for a few weeks because of this. Take care and be safe. – Bryan”