Why Scottie Scheffler’s Prison Debacle Is the Final Straw for PGA of America’s Valhalla Dilemma

There were questions about Valhalla’s future ahead of the 106th PGA Championship. The venue of so much drama through one Ryder Cup and four PGA Championships has changed ownership. It has also lost much of its original Jack Nicklaus design. The PGA seemed to have moved away from the par-71 layout at Louisville. On top of that, Scottie Scheffler’s shocking arrest and the subsequent chaos only add to Valhalla’s growing list of problems.

The World No. 1 admitted in the post-round interview that he was shaking the whole time. The reigning Masters champion couldn’t wrap his head around what transpired throughout the day. And the scenario just adds one more problem to Valhalla’s future, which has already been uncertain since 2022. 

Why might this be the last major at Valhalla for a decade or more?

The PGA of America sold its final share of ownership of the Valhalla Golf Club to local owners in 2022. Then, they moved their headquarters to Frisco in Dallas, Texas. Louisville, which is home to Justin Thomas, has hosted two PGA Championships and the 2008 Ryder Cup. It’s time for Frisco now. The course at Dallas will play host in 2027 and 2034. 

Moreover, Valhalla doesn’t feature in any future majors. The PGA Championship venues are fixed until 2031. The Women’s PGA Championship is booked until 2027, and it will head to Frisco in 2031. A senior PGA Championship spot doesn’t open up until 2030. Ryder Cup slots are all filled until 2040. 

That leaves only the US Open, which doesn’t open until 2043. The US Women’s Open is filled until 2035. The Chevron Championship and the Evian Championship are played at the same venue. The Women’s Open won’t travel to this side of the pond. Notably, only one course has hosted more PGA Championships than Valhalla, Southern Hills Country Club, the venue of the 2022 event. 

While both Seth Waugh, the PGA of America president, and the club owners, a group of prominent Louisville businessmen, don’t rule out a return, Valhalla is on the back foot. More so after the mishap ahead of the second round. 

Scottie Scheffler’s arrest puts a blot on Valhalla’s legacy

The strange thing about the arrest was that Scheffler was driving an official PGA Championship vehicle on his way to the course. The officers who arrested the current reigning Masters champion had no idea who the person was. Now, golf is not the country’s most popular sport, yet it also leaves a blot in Valhalla’s history that the World’s No. 1 golfer was arrested because of an apparent misunderstanding. 

Rich Lerner of Golf Channel tweeted that the mayor of Louisville got involved in the matter. The deceased person was an employee of the vendor at the course. The traffic chaos at Shelbyville Road forced Will Zalatoris to walk to the course before the tee time. Jared Doerfler, who reports on the business side of golf, termed it a “PR nightmare.” It was a bizarre day at Kentucky that’s sure to leave an impact on the course’s future.