Scottie Scheffler is just days away from teeing it up at the Presidents Cup. But before the biennial team showdown could begin, the four-time major winner got an unexpected trip down memory lane, courtesy of his longtime best friend and Presidents Cup teammate, Sam Burns. Burns apparently decided there was no better time to remind him of his May 2024 traffic arrest.
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On the morning of May 17, 2024, before the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, a tournament shuttle bus struck and killed a pedestrian outside the course around 5 a.m., prompting police road closures and traffic rerouting. The incident would soon become part of an unexpected running joke involving Scheffler and his team—one that continued long after the chaos of that morning.
“Sam actually wore the T-shirt with my mug shot to our team room last night,” Scheffler said during Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast. “The joke continues to stay.”
Scheffler was running late for his second-round tee time and approached the chaotic scene outside Valhalla, attempting to enter the club in a player courtesy vehicle. As he tried to make his way through the traffic, he drove past Detective Bryan Gillis, who stopped him and attempted to give him instructions. Scheffler allegedly refused to comply, accelerated, and dragged the officer to the ground, causing minor injuries.
Scheffler’s attorney later said the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding. In the confusion, Scheffler believed he was following directions and did not realize the person in the yellow jacket was a police officer. He was arrested and taken into custody—but the incident was far from over, as the charges that followed would add another layer to the story.
“I didn’t just get arrested. I was charged with assaulting a police officer,” Scheffler said. “… It wasn’t like I just went to jail; I got charged with a very, very serious crime.”
The World No. 1 was booked on four charges: felony second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals. He was later released without bail and returned to the course in time to warm up before shooting a 5-under 66 later that day. Prosecutors subsequently dropped all charges against him.
Back in the present day, Scheffler appears to have learned to look back on the incident with a sense of humor. When Pardon My Take host Dan Katz asked whether the World No. 1 would take the bus to the course, Scheffler smirked and said, “Yeah.”
“That’s probably best for you,” Katz quipped, prompting laughter from everyone in the room.
Scheffler’s long-running joke about his arrest followed him into the 2025 PGA Championship, where Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman couldn’t resist referencing the bizarre incident. As Scheffler walked into the clubhouse at Quail Hollow Club, the ESPN+ announcers joked about his “quiet” arrival—a playful nod to the arrest that had become an unlikely part of his public image.
Even Scheffler’s friends and fellow golfers joined in, with Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy joking about the incident, while one prank even featured a fake police officer. Scheffler has also embraced the humor himself, sparking laughter at the 2025 Masters by comparing the adrenaline of competing there to the rush he felt during his arrest.
That said, Scheffler isn’t the only one to be arrested or get teased for his mugshot. During the third round of the 2019 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student and avid Tiger Woods fan Thomas Wesling positioned himself along the walkway between the 17th green and 18th tee wearing a T-shirt printed with Woods’ infamous 2017 DUI arrest mugshot.
As Woods walked past, Wesling called out, and the usually intense golfer noticed the shirt, cracked a clear smile, and kept walking. This prompted Wesling to post the viral video with the caption, “I had Tiger reminiscing about his glory days.”
Coming back to Scheffler and Burns, the latter had more to say.
Burns may have accidentally revealed one of the U.S. team’s pairings ahead of the Presidents Cup at Medinah. During his Tuesday media availability, Burns offered a rather obvious clue when asked about his partner.
“His name starts with an ‘S’.”
That would appear to point toward the World No. 1, with whom Burns has a long history dating back to their junior-golf days. The potential reunion is intriguing, considering the duo’s previous struggles. Burns and Scheffler went 0-3-1 together across the 2022 Presidents Cup and 2023 Ryder Cup before being separated.
Still, Burns doesn’t believe they have anything to prove.
“Do I think we have unfinished business? I don’t know if I would call it that,” Burns said. “It’s been frustrating the times we have played together, and we feel like we’ve played really well and ultimately not won.”
The pair already practiced together Monday and Tuesday, making Burns’ hint look less like reverse psychology and more like an open secret.
That being said, it appears Burns and Scheffler’s friendship continues to flourish. However, only time will show if they actually team up.