A fan is wearing a shirt with Scottie Scheffler’s mugshot. | Photo by Brian Spurlock/Getty Images
The PGA Championship had a historic day Friday, not for anything that transpired on the course. Here are the winners and losers from Day Two.
Words cannot adequately describe the tragic scenes that unfolded before dawn on Friday morning at the PGA Championship.
An innocent man by the name of John Mills lost his life.
Scottie Scheffler ended up in handcuffs in a separate incident, making fans lose their minds online.
Then Scheffler returned and proved why he is the best player on the planet, carding a 5-under 66.
But Xander Schauffele once again leads at the midway point of the championship.
Winners:
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington
Jeff Darlington deserves an award for his exquisite reporting on Friday morning. He saw the entire Scheffler encounter play out firsthand while recording video of police leading him away in handcuffs.
Scheffler even asked Darlington to help him, but then a policeman said, “There’s nothing you can do. He is going to jail.”
Darlington then provided accurate updates throughout the morning, serving as the pulse for what likely is the biggest golf story of the year.
The Internet
Friday may go down as the greatest day in Golf Twitter history.
People produced some of the funniest memes imaginable, especially after Scheffler’s mugshot became public knowledge.
Then the police report dropped, which included a point about the arresting officer’s pants, which were “valued at approximately $80, [and] damaged beyond repair.”
That set social media further ablaze.
Yet, on the flip side, some people did make inappropriate and off-color jokes. But at least hundreds of people still have a sense of humor.
Scheffler’s Post-Round Press Conference
The most anticipated press conference of Scheffler’s career exceeded expectations.
His infectious demeanor shined as Scheffler not only praised law enforcement for doing their jobs but also paid tribute to Mills on numerous occasions.
Photo by Brian Spurlock/Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler speaks to the media after his second round at the 2024 PGA Championship.
He also described stretching in his jail cell, while watching himself get detained on television from the police station.
Scheffler also opened up about his emotions, and how his head continued to spin all day. The events clearly rattled him, and rightfully so. But he also lurks three strokes behind Schauffele heading into the weekend.
Xander Schauffele & Collin Morikawa
Schauffele and Morikawa have dominated Valhalla so far, combining to shoot 23-under through 36 holes.
Morikawa made five straight birdies on his back nine to soar up the leaderboard, and temporarily take the lead.
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Collin Morikawa during the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship.
Then, Schauffele kept the pedal to the metal after his record-setting 9-under 62 on Thursday, setting a Valhalla PGA Championship record in the process. Schauffele shot 3-under 68 and leads Morikawa by one.
These two young stars will comprise the final pairing on Saturday, with Morikawa seeking his third major title and Schauffele aiming for his first.
Surely, more fireworks will follow at Valhalla.
Losers:
Valhalla Logistics
Multiple PGA Tour professionals complained about the logistics at Valhalla, which have caused nightmares all week.
Fans reportedly have to travel up to 17 miles on shuttle buses from various parking lots across the city, while members of the media have had to endure 30-minute long bus rides each day.
Plus, the club entrance is off a major four-lane highway, making matters even more difficult. Given all of the circumstances that have transpired, coupled with how easy this golf course has played, the chances of the PGA of America returning to Valhalla in the future look dire at best.
Tiger Woods
The 15-time major champion opened with a triple bogey on the 2nd hole and then carded another seven on the short par-4 4th.
That all but ended his chances of making the cut, as Woods dropped all the way to 8-over for the championship after four holes on Friday.
Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Tiger Woods on Friday at Valhalla.
His short game looked off too, as Woods routinely struck putts well past the hole on numerous occasions.
Perhaps an early exit will allow him to rest, re-focus, and prepare for Pinehurst No. 2.
Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm has struggled since joining LIV Golf and missed the cut by a stroke this week. He even threw a club in disgust on the 16th hole on Thursday, then rallied to finish in red figures.
But he could not get into a groove on Friday, carding a 1-over 72 to finish at even par through 36 holes. He will look to rebound at the U.S. Open next month.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
