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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler signed his scorecard after Sunday’s final round of the PGA Championship, put his head down on the scorer’s table and nearly fell asleep.
It had been that kind of week for the two-time Masters champion, who was arrested outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning and released from jail a little over an hour before his tee time.
Scheffler posted a 5-under 66 on Friday to remain in contention for another victory, before being undone by a 2-over 73 on Saturday, his worst score in 266 days.
Scheffler rebounded to post a 6-under 65 on Sunday, his best score in the final round of a major championship. He was tied for eighth when he walked off the course. It would be his 10th top-10 finish in his past 13 starts in majors.
Scheffler had a bogey on the first hole and played the next 17 holes without one, to go along with seven birdies, including five on the back nine.
The events of the past 72 hours left the 27-year-old exhausted. He described the week as “hectic.”
“Overall, right now, how I’m feeling, I’m fairly tired, definitely a lot more tired than I have been finishing some other tournaments,” Scheffler said. “But I’m proud of today how we went out there and fought. I got off to kind of a slow start and I was able to kind of get some momentum and post a good round.
“Yesterday, obviously, was quite frustrating and a bit of a different day, but overall proud of how I fought this week. Was fortunate to be out here competing, doing what I love.”
Scheffler said the gravity of what happened on Friday probably didn’t hit him until that night. After being booked at a downtown detention center and released, he ate a few bites of eggs and a piece of bacon before his round. After returning to his rental house, he realized he hadn’t eaten dinner at 9 p.m. ET but wasn’t hungry.
“As somebody who’s a pretty big eater, that was a strange feeling,” Scheffler said. “So, obviously my body was a bit off with what had happened in the morning. But like I said, I did my best to leave that behind me and come out here and compete and do what I love, and the support I got from the fans was amazing.”
Scheffler said he planned to return home to Dallas, where his wife, Meredith, and newborn son, Bennett, were waiting.
Scheffler has unfinished business in Louisville. A police officer, Det. Bryan Gillis, alleges that he stopped Scheffler’s SUV outside the golf course and attempted to give him instructions. The officer alleges that the SUV accelerated and dragged him, causing injuries to his left wrist and knee.
A Louisville Metro Police Department spokesman told ESPN on Saturday that Gillis failed to activate his bodycam video recorder during the incident.
Scheffler called the incident a “big misunderstanding” and “chaotic situation.”
An arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday. Scheffler wasn’t sure if he’d have to appear in court.
Scheffler said it was good to have his regular caddie, Ted Scott, back on his bag on Sunday. Scott missed the third round when he returned to Louisiana to attend his daughter’s high school graduation. Scott has been on Scheffler’s bag for each of his 10 victories on the PGA Tour.
“I think having Teddy out is always helpful,” Scheffler said. “I’ve talked a lot about how great he is for me out there on course and keeping me in a good head space. Obviously, yesterday was a bit of a different day, but it’s up to me to come out here and hit the shots and execute, and yesterday I wasn’t able to do that.”