Scheffler stopped, Schauffele shoots 21 under par – The UCSD Guardian

This past weekend, Valhalla Golf Course hosted the 106th PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Xander Schauffele finally took his first major victory, Bryson DeChambeau finished second despite an all-time great performance, and Scottie Scheffler found himself in an orange jumpsuit just hours before his Friday morning ride.

Scheffler's arrest

Before the start on Friday May 17, the world number one golfer found himself handcuffed. Here's what happened, according to the LMPD police report:

Detective Gillis, the officer who made Scheffler's arrest, was “directing traffic to Gate 1 of the Valhalla Golf Course due to the road closure… [Scheffler] moved into the westbound lanes where there was free traffic and to avoid congested traffic. Detective Gillis was in the middle of the westbound lanes, in full LMPD uniform and a high-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket. Inspector Gillis stopped [Scheffler] and tried to give instructions. [Scheffler] refused to comply and accelerated, causing Detective Gillis to the ground. Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knee. He was transported to the hospital to receive further medical treatment by emergency medical personnel. Detective Gillis' uniform pants…were damaged beyond repair.

The following week, on Thursday, May 23, Louisville police said Gillis violated procedure by not activating his body camera and was disciplined. There is now speculation as to whether the initial police report was an accurate account of what happened that morning.

According to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the arrest, Gillis “hit Scheffler's car with a flashlight, told him to roll down his window, reached out, opened the door himself, pulled Scheffler out of the car, placed him against the car, and immediately handcuffed him.

After his tour, Scheffler spoke to the media and recounted his experiences from his arrest around 5 a.m. until his departure time at 10:08 a.m.:

“I was shaking for about an hour…I was in shock and scared.”

Scheffler said he was fingerprinted, took a photo and even had some identification problems. That's right, just hours before the PGA Championship, the world's No. 1 golfer had problems with ID verification at the police department.

Nevertheless, due process took its course. Scheffler was placed in a holding cell, where he could see himself on ESPN. He even started his stretching routine before the round. Scheffler was released around 8:40 a.m. on his own recognizance.

At 10:10 a.m., Scheffler took the start. Sure enough, he birdied the first hole and finished the round nine shots under par, tied for third in the standings.

Despite the media attention off the golf course, Scheffler's arrest would be overshadowed by the remarkable performances of Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau on the course.

Schauffele's historic performance

Before his victory in Valhalla, Schauffele had never won a major tournament. Sunday's victory finally exonerated the 30-year-old from criticism that he couldn't perform on the biggest stage: Schauffele recorded the lowest 72-hole total score in major championship history with 263 strokes .

On the 18th, Schauffele had his eyes on birdie to win the major, which would put him at 21 under par. A par, however, would mean a playoff between Schauffele and LIV golfer Bryson DeChambeau.

Schauffele's performance on the 18th was unforgettable. First, his parting shot left him with an ominous lie. Standing in the sand with his ball at knee height, Schauffele hit his second shot as best he could given the circumstances. His ball landed left of the green for a short chip. Schauffele delivered a magnificent chip shot for his third shot, leaving a six-foot putt for the major. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Schauffele was ready to justify every story written about him. He picked his line, set his feet and made the putt, with DeChambeau watching from the stand.

Schauffele reflected on that moment: “I just heard everyone roaring…I just looked up to the sky with relief.

DeChambeau, who shot 20 under par, left the range in disappointment. His score is tied for the second lowest score in major history and is the only one to have been a loser.

Despite not making the playoffs, DeChambeau entertained himself all weekend. On the 18th hole, he hit two memorable shots in consecutive rounds. Known for his long drive ability, DeChambeau finished round three with an eagle chip at the 18th and round 4 with a clutch birdie putt that took him to 20 under par. Of course, he punctuated both shots with an emphatic fist bump.

DeChambeau is one of the most polarizing figures in golf, but he's entertaining and brings energy to the course like no one else. After the tournament, he took to Instagram to reference the movie “Talladega Nights” and the great Ricky Bobby, captioning his post: “If you're not the first, you're the last.”

Ultimately, from a 6 a.m. arrest to a flawless finish on the 18th, the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course had it all. Next, the US Open in Pinehurst, North Carolina.