What could have been hangs over Scottie Scheffler after uneven PGA Championship, arrest whirlwind

Golf

By Mark Cannizzaro

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Scottie Scheffler’s stressful and adventurous week was almost over. It was time to go home. Finally.

The world’s No. 1-ranked player was standing on the 18th green under the searing Kentucky sun waiting for his playing partner, Mark Hubbard, to putt out so he could make his 271st and final stroke of the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

As Scheffler waited to tap in his 2-foot par putt on the 72nd hole of one of the longest and most bizarre weeks of his life, he took a long look at the large scoreboard to the right of the green.

He assessed what the leaders were doing, and surely wondered what might have been.

What might have been had he not been arrested early Friday morning, spending the morning in jail and barely making it back to the golf course for his tee time.

What might have been had, in Saturday’s third round, he not posted an uncharacteristic 2-over-par 73 — his first round over par of the year after playing 42 in a row shooting par or better.

What might have been had his caddie and emotional rock, Ted Scott, not missed Saturday’s round to attend his daughter’s high school graduation.

Most important of all, what might have been had John Mills, the 69-year-old tournament worker, not been struck and killed by a bus in front of the Valhalla entrance Friday morning.

All of those things had been weighing heavily on Scheffler’s shoulders for the past three days.

And when his week of golf was over — Scheffler closing with a 6-under-par 65 on Sunday to finish the week at 13-under par and in a tie for eighth place — he could barely keep his eyes open.

When he reached the scorer’s tent, Scheffler sat down on a chair and put his head down on the table for a prolonged period of time. He looked like a child at grade-school nap time.

“I think I about fell asleep,’’ Scheffler said afterward. “I’m just fairly tired and ready to get home.’’

The Post learned that Scheffler’s wife, Meredith, and the couple’s newborn son, Bennett, who was born on May 8, flew from home in Texas to Louisville on Friday after the arrest ordeal so Meredith could be with her husband.

That, of course, had to bring some comfort and normalcy for Scheffler, who was already homesick having to leave her and their newborn at home just days after his birth.

The plan was for them to fly back to Texas on Sunday, though Scheffler’s arraignment stemming from his arrest is scheduled for Tuesday.

Scheffler, whose plan is to play Colonial this week, said after his round he didn’t know whether he would be required to be back in Louisville for the arraignment. But you can bet every ranch in Texas that his preference would be never having to visit Louisville again.

“As of now, I’m planning to play next week,’’ Scheffler said. “As far as the off-the-course stuff goes, I’m not really sure.’’

There were reports, though unconfirmed, that the charges against Scheffler will be dropped. The Post on Sunday spoke to a prominent Louisville attorney who said, “I bet they’ll be dropped.’’

True to Scheffler’s impeccable character, he offered zero excuses for having the audacity to not win this week after having won four of his previous five starts, including the Masters, entering the week.

Scheffler, shaken by the death of Mills and his own arrest, was clearly not himself on Saturday. He conceded that the gravity of what occurred on Friday had a delayed effect.

“Probably Saturday morning I think it finally hit me what really happened,’’ Scheffler said. “I think I would attribute [his uneven third round] mostly to a bad day. Did I feel like myself? Absolutely not. Was my warm-up the way it usually is and the distractions where they normally are? Absolutely not.

“But I’m not going to sit here and say that’s why I went out and played a bad round of golf [Saturday]. I got arrested Friday morning and I showed up here and played a good round of golf (66), as well.’’

Hubbard, who was paired with Scheffler for both Saturday’s 73 and Sunday’s 65, told The Post that, after Saturday’s round, when they entered the scoring, “I looked him in the face and said, ‘That’s what real golf is like.’ ’’

“Yeah,’’ Scheffler responded, “I don’t like it.’’

“Looking back, I think Friday he was just running on adrenaline, which is why he was able to do that (shoot 66),’’ Hubbard said. “And probably what happened [Saturday], the emotional wear-and-tear kind of caught up with him. Today, he went out there and played like the No. 1 player again.’’

What might have been?

We’ll never know.