It’s the final stretch of the college football off-season, that weird limbo between media days and fall camp where the gridiron chatter starts turning a little sideways. Usually, Josh Pate thrives here. He’s the type to run sprints while everyone else is coasting. While other talking heads catch their breath post-bowl season, Pate is deep in the weeds of the JP Poll, spitting out playoff hypotheticals. So, it tracks that even in July, Pate’s still trying to cook. But this time, he aimed his offseason energy way outside the hash marks—and caught heat for it. The spark? Scottie Scheffler.

On July 2o, Scottie Scheffler put on a straight-up clinic at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, walking away with the Claret Jug after a no-doubt four-shot win. Sitting at 17-under-par, Scheffler dropped a cold-blooded final-round 68, shrugging off pushes from Harris English and Xander Schauffele like it was just another Sunday stroll. That dub made it four majors for Scottie, but it wasn’t just the win—it was the way he did it. The 29-year-old became the first modern golfer to snag his first four majors by at least three strokes each, something nobody’s pulled off since way back in the 1800s. With two green jackets, a PGA, and now The Open in his bag, he’s one U.S. Open away from completing the Grand Slam.

Just hours after Scheffler wrapped up a surgical performance at Royal Portrush, Pate hopped on social media and tweeted, “Casual golf fan here… an ex-con is dominating the PGA? Am I hearing this right?”

Let’s rewind.

Back on May 17, 2024, Scheffler was a——- outside the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. It was a chaotic morning. A shuttle bus had tragically struck and killed a tournament volunteer, and police were redirecting traffic. Amid that confusion, Scheffler drove forward slowly, reportedly believing he was following instructions. A police officer claimed he was dragged briefly by the vehicle. Scheffler was arrested and charged with second-degree a—— of an officer, among other things. He was booked by 7:30 a.m. and released in under an hour, just in time for his tee time.

Video evidence later confirmed there was no intent, no reckless behavior—just a miscommunication in a tragic, tense moment. Less than two weeks later, all charges were dropped. Prosecutors said plainly: Scheffler hadn’t done anything criminal.

Yet here we are, one year, two months, and multiple major wins later, with Josh Pate calling him an “ex-con.”

Fans on the internet back Scottie Scheffler after Josh Pate throws a haymaker.

When Pate hit “post,” golf fans and casual alike came swinging in defense of their soft-spoken, iron-pure king. X lit up almost instantly, and the replies weren’t subtle.

The fans started with, “A real rags to riches story, I tell ya!” followed by another comment: “It is quite the inspiring story, how he has turned his life around.”

Another fan threw a cheeky haymaker: “Ex-cons got game,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to the absurdity of the label. Because while the Pate tweet was trying to frame Scheffler like a Netflix redemption arc, the reality is: this man is in the middle of one of the most dominant seasons golf has seen in a decade. Scheffler isn’t just winning—he’s steamrolling. He’s already racked up four PGA Tour victories in 2025, including both The Open and the PGA Championship. He’s top of the leaderboard in FedEx Cup points, strokes gained, and earnings. In 13 starts, he’s got 12 top-10 finishes.

So, yeah, call him whatever you want, but that stat line? Legendary.

This fan summed it up perfectly, how quickly a storyline can spiral: “Not really. He was a——–, released, and charges dropped. But yes, he is dominating.” Just because Scheffler’s mugshot exists doesn’t mean it should define him, especially when even prosecutors are saying the arrest wasn’t warranted. Facts still matter, even 14 months later.

Then came the knuckleball at last, one fan cracked, “He got arrested for following directions. My buddy did 48 hours for arguing with a horse cop at the Belmont Stakes and still isn’t allowed in Nassau County.”

The public support for Scheffler has been consistent since day one, but this flare-up showed just how firm his reputation is. He’s the ultimate low-drama superstar: quiet, prayerful, family-centered, and absurdly good at what he does. If Tiger brought fire and flair, Scheffler’s bringing clinical execution with a side of baby stroller.

So when Pate took a shot—intended or not—the fans were quick to remind everyone that not all arrests were created equal. It’s not that Josh Pate doesn’t know better. He likely does. Maybe it was a swing at humor, maybe it was a bad read of the moment. But this whole thing proves something bigger: Scottie Scheffler’s got the people.

Whether he’s draining putts or dodging harsh comments, he’s unshakable. The man is in his imperial phase, and a stray comment isn’t going to derail that. Ex-con? Nah. Just a cold-blooded major champ who happened to get booked for being polite during chaos.