Scottie Scheffler Takes a Swing at His Past in Happy Gilmore 2

Scottie Scheffler embraced the comedic spotlight in Happy Gilmore 2, where he humorously referenced his 2024 arrest.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for those eager to dive into the film.

The 29-year-old golfer joined a star-studded cast, including Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, alongside Adam Sandler in this much-anticipated sequel that debuted on Netflix on July 25. While fans expected brief appearances from these top PGA players, their roles turned out to be far more significant than initially thought.

Set nearly three decades after the original 1996 classic, Happy Gilmore 2 follows Sandler's character as he navigates life as a widower. With his wife Virginia (played by Julie Bowen) gone, Happy aims to return to golf to earn enough money for his daughter Vennita (Sunny Sandler) to attend a prestigious ballet school in Europe.

However, the plot thickens when a nefarious group of golfers threatens the sport's integrity. To safeguard golf and secure the funds for his daughter’s education, Happy rallies his PGA friends to confront the Maxi Golf League.

In preparation for the showdown, Happy teams up with his old rival Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) to train the pros for an unconventional tournament. Their training regimen includes bizarre challenges, such as enduring baseballs to sensitive areas and revisiting their most embarrassing moments on the course, all in anticipation of facing off against a team featuring Haley Joel Osment and Oliver Hudson.

Scheffler is among the first to take his shot, but Hudson's taunts ignite his temper, leading him to throw a punch—a lesson he picked up from Happy earlier in the film. This impulsive act results in immediate disqualification and an arrest.

“Not again,” he quips as officers escort him away in handcuffs.

Later scenes show Scheffler watching the tournament unfold from his jail cell, celebrating with fellow inmates as Happy secures victory.

In real life, Scheffler faced legal issues in May 2024 when he was arrested and charged with felony assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and ignoring traffic signals while attempting to enter Valhalla Golf Club during a road closure related to an accident.

Reports confirmed that Louisville Metro Police detained him after a pedestrian was injured in an accident that delayed the PGA Championship. Scheffler allegedly accelerated past Detective Bryan Gillis, who attempted to stop him, dragging the officer to the ground in the process.

After spending just over an hour in custody, all charges were dropped, allowing him to return to Valhalla for the tournament's second round.

Reflecting on the incident, Scheffler stated, “There was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today. Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”

His fellow PGA players noted that he maintained a light-hearted attitude throughout the ordeal. Xander Schauffele remarked on a May 2024 episode of a popular podcast that Scheffler “took it like a champ,” adding that other pros were “heckling Scottie” in their group chat shortly after the incident.

Happy Gilmore 2 is currently available for streaming on Netflix.