Scheffler’s arrest by the police does not affect him much; Rahm is not coming back

The world no. had a big impact on him. And well put it is for the weekend.

Scottie Scheffler He soon experienced a crazy morning when due to what he considered a “misunderstanding” he was detained, arrested and booked by the police for skipping a checkpoint set up next to the entrance of Valhalla Golf Club following a tragic accident that caused the death of a club worker when he was hit by a bus.

The traffic chaos around the headquarters of 106th edition of the PGA Championship It’s big; Scheffler was caught in the middle of the caravan, he asked a policeman to cross a lane that another caught him refusing and it all ended with the arrest of the golfer by a sheriff who ignored any reason. After being booked by the police, the club owner intervened so that Scheffler could get to the field an hour early to prepare for the second round. He came out to play, he was competing, and as if he didn’t want to, he shot a 66 stroke, with six birdies and one bogey, two away from the lead. The leader added 133 (-9) to 131 (-11). See it to believe it.

Scheffler, waiting to see what the leader can do after the first round, is already in the field, Xander Schauffeleso he did not rely on the recital of his countryman and winner of a PGA and a British, Collin Morikawa, untouchable in the final holes with five consecutive birdies (he closed with a bogey on the 18th) and a score of 65 for 131 (-11), leading the clubhouse. Morikawa is regaining his previous level, as he showed in the last Masters, and he is becoming a serious candidate for victory.

Jon Rahm, in the match just ahead of Scheffler, suffered again, ending up at the border in the cut on an uncomfortable morning due to the rain that did not stop for several hours. Holding the umbrella between shots (swallowing water a lot), erratic off the tee (he missed many fairways), a double bogey cast doubt on the Basque’s continuation in the tournament. He started the first day under par and by the middle of the round he was at full par at the limit of the planned cut.

Jon paid dearly for his mistakes off the tee, especially the drive he sent into the trees, with the ball too deep, on the 17th hole, the eighth of the day. He exited that hole with a painful double bogey-6 that cut off any possible reaction from the Bilbao native after two restorative birdies on the fourth and sixth holes of the day. On the second nine (the first of the course), Barrika never returned and with a bogey and a birdie he finished with 72 (+1) and 144 (even), in provisional 69th place, just off cut. .

“I have to think about what happened. I have had mental mistakes,” reflected the former world number 1 after signing the card on Thursday. He was optimistic this Friday. “Let’s see if tomorrow I do something different at the beginning. I want to start well.” This is not the case. And I certainly had to wait to see which figure the cutoff will finally be established, which will be set this Saturday morning when the second day ends. All pointed to -1 so Rahm was eliminated.

Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault on a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding the instructions of a traffic officer. The incident happened when Scheffler tried to avoid a police checkpoint to access the Valhalla Golf Club around 7:30 a.m. local time, according to ESPN, which was at the scene.

A police officer would have told him to stop, but Scheffler continued for several meters until an officer stopped him. At the time there was a heavy police presence due to a traffic accident in which a tournament worker was run over and killed, an incident that forced the start of the PGA’s second round to be delayed by 80 minutes on Friday.

According to ESPN, when Scheffler finally stopped his car and rolled down the window, the officer opened the door by reaching inside, pulled the golfer out and handcuffed him. Acknowledging the ESPN reporter, Scheffler said, “Can you help me?” To which the police officer told him: “You have to get out of the way. Right now, he’s going to jail and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

After warming up on the driving range and putting on the green, Scheffler stood on the 10th tee (his first hole Friday) and birdied the side to start. He bogeyed the 11th but made five more birdies from there. What a competitor and fighter this 27-year-old American is.

The Catalan will not be present this weekend David Puigreturning 73 strokes this Friday, for a 145 (+3) total.