World number one Scotty Scheffler has been accused of assaulting a police officer outside Valhalla Golf Club hours before the second round of the PGA Championship.
Scheffler was on the pitch just in time for Friday’s 10:08am kick-off (15:08 BST).
The Louisville Department of Corrections released a photo of the 27-year-old man, saying he was booked at 7:28 a.m. local time and released at 8:40 a.m.
Scheffler said the incident was a “big misunderstanding” when he arrived on the court for the second-round match.
Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault on a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and ignoring a police traffic signal.
Friday’s match in this year’s second major was delayed 80 minutes due to an unrelated incident near the course.
The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) said a shuttle bus struck and killed a pedestrian outside a golf club.
Scheffler, who was not involved in the crash, reportedly tried to avoid the scene but was stopped.
“This morning, I was following the instructions of the police,” Scheffler said.
“The situation was very confusing, which is understandable given the tragic incident that had taken place before, and I think there was a huge misunderstanding of what I was being asked to do.
“I never intended to ignore any instructions. I wanted to put that aside today and focus on golf.
“Of course, all of us involved in the game offer our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in an accident earlier this morning. It really puts everything into perspective.
Video outside the stadium in Louisville, Ky., showed Scheffler being handcuffed and put into the back of a police car.
Scheffler, who has won four of his past five tournaments, got off to a strong start with a four-under-par 67 in Thursday’s first round, eagle-leaping No. 2 with a 167-yard nine-iron on the opening hole.
He is pursuing a three-peat after winning the Masters and RBC Heritage in April before taking three weeks off for the birth of his first child.
