Not even a bizarre arrest and release as he tried to enter Valhalla Golf Club on Friday could slow down Scottie Scheffler.
Despite returning to the PGA Championship course from the police station less than an hour before his tee time, Scheffler looked unfazed throughout the day en route to a 5-under 66. He's just two shots behind clubhouse leader Collin Morikawa with the afternoon wave on the golf course.
Scheffler detailed how the chaotic morning threw off his routine and forced him to adapt.
"I feel like my head is still spinning. I can't really explain what happened this morning," Scheffler said after his round. "I did spend some time stretching in a jail cell. That was a first for me."
Scheffler was taken to the police station and booked at 7:28 a.m. local time, less than three hours before his 10:08 tee time. He was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, reckless driving, third-degree criminal mischief, and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
"I was pretty rattled, to say the least. The officer that took me to the jail was very kind, he was great. We had a nice chat in the car and that kind of calmed me down," Scheffler said. "I was never angry, I was just in shock. I was shaking the whole time. I was shaking for like an hour. It was definitely a new feeling. He came out and we had a nice chat. The officers inside the jail were tremendous. A couple of them made some jokes when they figured out who I was and what happened and how I ended up there."
Scheffler was outfitted in an orange jumpsuit and had his mug shot taken before being released and brought back to the golf course. For much of the morning, it was unclear whether he would make his tee time, but he returned with 50 minutes to spare. After a quick warmup in the range and a few putts, he went to the 10th tee to begin his day.
Despite birdieing his first hole, Scheffler admitted it took him a while to settle.
"Obviously, I didn't have my normal warmup and I usually stick to my routine. It took a few holes to settle in," Scheffler said. "It was kind of nice to be out there inside the ropes competing. It's one of my favorite things in the world to do, and I was fortunate enough to be able to do it today."
Scheffler is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning in court, but there's plenty of unfinished business for the 27-year-old to handle before then. His solid play Friday has him firmly in the mix for a second straight major and third in his career.
