Scheffler had been detained on charges of assaulting a police officer and criminal mischief after attempting to enter Valhalla Golf Club

Golf’s World Number One, Scottie Scheffler, was detained by police today after attempting to drive past officers while entering a golf club.

Scheffler was seen being led away in handcuffs by police after a “misunderstanding with traffic flow” meant he tried to drive past officers outside the entrance to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

Police “began to scream” at the star golfer to push him to exit his vehicle, before shoving him against his car and handcuffing him, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.

Footage posted online shows one officer leading Scheffler to a police car while another says to a camera: “Right now, he’s going to jail, he’s going to jail and there ain’t nothing you can do about it. Period.”

The World Number One was last seen being led away in handcuffs by Louisville police

Reuters/Louisville PD

The World Number One was released and returned after being detained on charges of assaulting a police officer and criminal mischief – but his arrest was not related to an accident outside the club, where the PGA Championship is currently underway.

Second round tee times were pushed back due to the incident, after start of the second round had already been delayed following what tournament officials described as a “serious accident near the course”.

ESPN, citing a spokesperson from the Louisville Metro Police Department, said a shuttle bus struck and killed a pedestrian outside Valhalla.

Scheffler, who is five shots back of overnight leader Xander Schauffele, was scheduled to tee off in his second round at 8.48am ET (1.48pm GMT), which was delayed to 10.08am ET (3.08pm GMT).

Scheffler, who is five shots back of overnight leader Xander Schauffele, was scheduled to tee off in his second round at 8.48am local time. Reuters/USA Today

The tournament had already been dogged by a number of car accidents outside the gates to Valhalla; just 10 minutes before the tournament got underway by Michael Block, a crash between another shuttle bus and a car led to huge delays outside the course, with all westbound traffic being halted while two trucks removed the pair of vehicles.

While a second crash happened nearby around 35 minutes later, causing further delays to those hoping to attend the first round of the PGA Championship.

Darlington had been present while Scheffler was detained and said: “Traffic had been backed up and building.

“Scottie Scheffler tried to enter Valhalla Golf Club using a side median, at which point a police officer instructed him to stop.

“Scheffler attempted to continue to go, the police officer then attached himself to the side of Scheffler’s car.

“Scheffler stopped the vehicle as he turned into Valhalla Golf Club at the entrance, about 10 to 20 yards from the point at which the police officer first told him to stop.

“At that point the police officer instructed Scheffler to get out of the car.

“He rolled down the window, the police officer grabbed his arm and started pulling at it.

“He reached inside, opened the car door, pulled Scheffler out, pushed him up against the car, immediately placed him in handcuffs.”