On Sunday, the Travelers Championship at the PGA Tour witnessed an unexpected interruption when six climate change protesters stormed the 18th green as the leaders prepared to putt on the final hole. The protest delayed the tournament’s conclusion for about five minutes. The demonstrators sprayed white and red powder on the grass, leaving stains before Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim, and Akshay Bhatia could complete their rounds. At least one protester wore a T-shirt with the slogan “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET.”
Scheffler Secures Victory in Playoff
Despite the disruption, Scottie Scheffler emerged victorious in a playoff, marking his sixth win of the year—the highest in a single PGA Tour season since Tiger Woods’ six victories in 2009. Scheffler, currently the world’s top-ranked player, still has two months left in the season.
Akshay Bhatia, who finished tied for fifth, expressed his concern about the incident. “I was scared for my life,” Bhatia said. “I didn’t even really know what was happening. But thankfully the cops were there and kept us safe. It was just weird stuff.”
After police removed the protesters, Scheffler missed a potential 26-foot clincher but tapped in for par. Tom Kim, trailing by one stroke, sank a 10-foot birdie putt to tie Scheffler and force a sudden-death playoff.
Protest’s Impact on the Game
Kim noted that the protest momentarily eased the pressure. “It kind of slowed things down,” he said. “It took the meaning of the putt away for a second. Suddenly, when that happens, your mind goes into a complete—like, you’re almost not even playing golf anymore. I thought it was a dream for a second.”
The crowd around the 18th green responded with profanities at the protesters and cheered for the police intervention. The Cromwell Police Department confirmed the arrest of six protesters, aged 25 to 55, on charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and breach of peace. The department chose not to publicize the protest’s cause to avoid giving it further attention.
Post-Protest Cleanup and Playoff
After the regulation play, workers cleaned the remaining powder with leaf blowers, and the hole location was moved for the playoff. Scheffler defeated Kim with a par on the first playoff hole. Kim expressed gratitude for the tour’s handling of the situation, despite the disruption. “They left a lot of marks on the greens, which is not right for us players—especially when two guys are trying to win a golf tournament,” Kim said. “But I’m very grateful for the tour and the tour security for handling that really well and making us players feel a lot safer.”
His SIXTH win in 10 starts! 🏆
Scottie Scheffler continues his dominance @TravelersChamp. pic.twitter.com/UyfcTkSRNW
Advertisement— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2024
Scheffler’s victory comes shortly after prosecutors dropped criminal charges against him on May 29. He was initially charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic outside the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell moved to dismiss the case, citing insufficient evidence.
Scheffler, addressing the dropped charges on social media, stated he held no ill will toward the detective who arrested him.
