The world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, has returned to Valhalla an hour before his revised tee-time for the second round of the US PGA Championship after an extraordinary sequence of events as he tried to drive into the course on Friday morning in which he was arrested, detained and booked on four separate charges by police.
Dramatic footage showed the golfer being led away in handcuffs and eye witnesses said police and Scheffler became involved in a misunderstanding over traffic flow which saw him removed from his tournament vehicle.
Northern Irishman shoots five under par 66 in first round
‘Not winning makes you want to win more,’ says Schauffele
If, by Rory McIlroy’s candid admission, this was a “scrappy” opening to his US PGA Championship then the remainder of the Valhalla field has cause to worry. A five under par 66 from McIlroy in Kentucky served as the latest indication he is close to ending an occasionally painful wait for a fifth major title that stretches back to 2014.
McIlroy’s caution was understandable. The 35-year-old’s putter kept his head above water before a three-hole stretch of birdies from the 5th, McIlroy’s 14th. The Northern Irishman chipped in at the 6th. The upshot was an inward half of 31, which leaves McIlroy four from Xander Schauffele, the first-round leader.
Brendan Rodgers has grown salty during his second stint in charge, largely because he craves investment and ‘bravery’
This has been a season of great paradoxes for Celtic and a prime example of that will be seen on Saturday, when wild celebration surrounds the final home game of the season. Celtic are deserving champions of Scotland – a 12th title in 13 seasons emphasises their dominance – but this situation appeared barely feasible in mid-December. They were being comfortably defeated by Hearts at home; venomous chanting from the stands was being directed at the club’s board; the team had already made their cursory, lame exit from Europe.
Brendan Rodgers may now confidently assert his side were always likely to discover rhythm when a number of players returned from injury. The point is valid. He has been in spiky form, asserting he has been “treated like a novice” since taking on the Celtic managerial post for the second time. This salty version of the Northern Irishman is entertaining and he is perfectly entitled to settle scores, but Rodgers has been in frequent danger of playing to a gallery that lap up the “put-upon Celtic” routine.
McIlroy prepares for US PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he won the tournament in 2014, after back-to-back wins
In normal circumstances, Rory McIlroy returning to a scene of triumph would be cause for deep reflection. McIlroy finished in darkness at Valhalla when claiming the US PGA Championship of 2014, in what provided a theatric backdrop to his fourth and hitherto last success in one of golf’s majors. McIlroy landed back in Louisville, Kentucky, this week with back-to-back PGA Tour wins to his name.
These are no ordinary times. A McIlroy media appearance on the eve of this US PGA lasted a mere nine minutes and seven questions from a packed floor. The appearance of news on Tuesday that 24 hours earlier the 35-year-old had filed for divorce from his wife of seven years has suddenly distorted the scene around McIlroy. On Sunday, McIlroy stood with trophy aloft at Quail Hollow after a dominant closing 18 holes.
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