In a twist that capped off a controversial incident at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, all charges were dropped against professional golfer Scottie Scheffler on Wednesday. The charges related to an alleged assault on Louisville Metro Police Detective Bryan Gillis during a traffic stop outside the Valhalla Golf Club.
The conflict began hours before Scheffler’s tee time at the 106th PGA Championship. According to an arrest citation, Scheffler reportedly ignored instructions from Detective Gillis, which escalated to an altercation where Gillis claimed Scheffler dragged him with his car, resulting in injuries to the detective’s knees and wrists. “To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrists,” Gillis stated. “I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident.”
The incident took a more complex turn when the Louisville Police disciplined Gillis earlier in the week for a policy violation concerning body-camera footage, casting doubts on the sequence of events reported by Gillis.
Adding a personal touch to his official statement, Gillis also expressed his sorrow for another unrelated but tragic event that occurred on the same day: the death of Jon Mills, a 69-year-old security officer who was fatally struck by a shuttle bus in a traffic incident that also contributed to the chaotic situation at the championship venue.
In a lighter yet poignant note, Gillis concluded his statement with a remark on the unexpected fame of his attire during the incident: “Yes, the department has us buying freaking $80 pants. 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”, via New York Post.
Scheffler, for his part, responded with grace after the charges were dismissed, reiterating his respect for the police and his desire to move past the incident. On his Instagram story, Scheffler shared, “As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding. I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis… I appreciate the support during the past two weeks and want to again encourage everyone to remember the real tragedy of May 17. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with John Mills and his family, and I hope to personally offer my condolences now that the case is over. May John rest in peace.”
The entire episode, fraught with misunderstandings and legal tangles, will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the more bizarre footnotes in major championship history.