By CNN
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Fresh off winning his first major at the PGA Championship, American golfer Xander Schauffele told CNN that world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was a good person and shouldn’t be facing criminal charges.
Scheffler was arrested on felony and other charges after reportedly trying to drive around the scene of a fatal crash on Friday morning in Louisville, Kentucky – the site of the 2024 PGA Championship.
Later released from custody, he was able to compete in the tournament and finished on 13-under – eight shots behind Schauffele’s winning score.
“Scottie is a really good guy. I know him fairly well now – competing against him and sharing a physio table with him. I know he’s a good dude and there is no mal intent meant by him,” Schauffele told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell on Tuesday.
“I just hope the family of the passed is okay. And I hope Scottie is gonna be okay. He’s just not someone who should have criminal charges on his record.”
Schauffele was not present at the time of Scheffler’s arrest. According to a Louisville Metro Police report, Scheffler was trying to gain access to Valhalla Golf Club when he was stopped by an officer wearing a full police uniform and a yellow reflective rain jacket.
“Subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective [Bryan] Gillis to the ground,” the report states, adding that Gillis was transported to hospital after suffering “pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist and knee.”
Scheffler’s attorney, Steven Romines, told CNN in a statement on Friday that his client plans to plead not guilty to the charges.
“He was proceeding as directed by another traffic officer and driving a marked player’s vehicle with credentials visible,” Romines said. “In the confusion, Scottie is alleged to have disregarded a different officer’s traffic signals resulting in these charges.”
Romines said that Scheffler had stopped immediately when directed and never assaulted an officer. The Masters champion called the situation “a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do.”
Scheffler had arrived at the PGA Championship as a new father, the form golfer in the world, and a strong favorite to win a second consecutive major before the chaotic events on the eve of the second round derailed his tournament.
His arraignment has been delayed until June 3. Scheffler is back on PGA Tour as he tees off Thursday at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX
CNN’s Kevin Dotson and Susannah Cullinane contributed to reporting.
