As fate would have it, Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods continue to get tangled thanks to strange circumstances. Scheffler, who has won Tiger-esque dominance on the greens this year, was arrested on May 17 outside Valhalla. The world’s no.1 golfer was released a few hours later, but the flames refused to die down until recently. However, all the charges have been dropped against him on May 29.
Strangely, on the very same date, Tiger Woods was arrested seven years ago. The DUI arrest in the early morning was one of the lowest points in the 15-time Major champion’s career. We revisit the fateful day that shook the golf world.
Revisiting the infamous Tiger Woods DUI scandal
On May 29, 2017, around 2 AM Palm Beach police found a Mercedes parked awkwardly on the roadside. The right turn signal was still blinking, the engine was still running and the brake lights were on. The card had damage on the driver’s side, presumably from a collision. Inside the car, the police found an unconscious Tiger Woods in the driver’s seat.
He was 15 miles away from his sprawling Jupiter mansion, but ‘cooperative’ but ‘confused’ Woods wasn’t aware of his whereabouts. Unlike the Scottie Scheffler case, the footage of Woods’s arrest was available. The veteran golfer wasn’t able to keep his eyes open and seemed to lose balance while walking.
Woods, later claimed it was due to his prescribed drugs. The DUI report seemed to confirm that. The blood alcohol percentage was 0.00%. However, hydrocodone, an opioid pain medication; Hydromorphone, another type of painkiller; Alprazolam, an anxiety drug also under the brand name Xanax; Zolpidem, a sleep drug also under the brand name Ambien; and Delta-9 carboxy THC, were found in his blood.
Tiger Woods later pleaded guilty to the charges, agreeing to enter a diversion program. DUI charges were dropped against him later. Scheffler’s case, however, took some dramatic twists and turns through two weeks. But the two-time Masters champion found relief on May 29.
Why did the police drop the charges against Scottie Scheffler?
Scottie Scheffler was charged with a second-degree assault of a police officer on May 17 outside the gates of Valhalla. Arresting officer, Bryan Gillis, noted in his report that the world no.1 dragged him with his vehicle, resulting in pain and abrasions on his knee and wrist. However, Gillis didn’t have his bodycam turned on, which violated LMPD’s policy.
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell, who initially opposed the postponement of the May 21 arraignment date to June 3, told the judge that his office couldn’t move forward with the charges. The evidence, apparently, wasn’t enough to prosecute Scottie Scheffler.
The two-time Major champion, in an official statement, said, “I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same.” Refusing to criticize the LMPD officer, Scheffler further added. “Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation.” The 10-time PGA Tour winner is likely to tee up at the Memorial. Whereas, Tiger Woods will return to the greens at the U.S Open, where he will play on a special invite.
