It’s the final stretch of the college football off-season, that weird limbo between media days and fall camp where the gridiron chatter starts turning a little sideways. Usually, Josh Pate thrives here. He’s the type to run sprints while everyone else is coasting. While other talking heads catch their breath post-bowl season, Pate is deep in the weeds of the JP Poll, spitting out playoff hypotheticals like it’s Selection Sunday, and giving teams the early judgment treatment on Late Kick Live. So, it tracks that even in July, Pate’s still trying to cook. But this time, he aimed his offseason energy way outside the hash marks—and caught heat for it. The spark? Scottie Scheffler.
On July 2oth, Scottie Scheffler put on a straight-up clinic at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, walking away with the Claret Jug after a no-doubt four-shot win. Sitting at 17-under-par, Scheffler dropped a cold-blooded final-round 68, shrugging off pushes from Harris English and Xander Schauffele like it was just another Sunday stroll. That dub made it four majors for Scottie, but it wasn’t just the win—it was the way he did it. Dude became the first modern golfer to snag his first four majors by at least three strokes each, something nobody’s pulled off since way back in the 1800s. With two green jackets, a PGA, and now The Open in his bag, he’s one U.S. Open away from completing the Grand Slam.
Just hours after Scheffler wrapped up a surgical performance at Royal Portrush, Pate hopped on social media and tweeted, “Casual golf fan here… an ex-con is dominating the PGA? Am I hearing this right?”
Casual golf fan here…an ex-con is dominating the PGA? Am I hearing this right?
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) July 20, 2025
Insert record scratch.
To be fair, the line might’ve been tossed out with a wink. Maybe he thought it was lighthearted. But the phrasing? Bold. And it didn’t land how he probably expected. Because Scottie Scheffler may technically have been in cuffs at one point, but calling him an “ex-con” felt more like lazy shock bait than accurate commentary.
Let’s rewind.
Back on May 17, 2024, Scheffler’s literally arrested outside Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. It was a chaotic morning. A shuttle bus had tragically struck and killed a tournament volunteer, and police were redirecting traffic. Amid that confusion, Scheffler drove forward slowly, reportedly believing he was following instructions. A police officer low-key claimed he was dragged briefly by the vehicle. Scheffler was arrested and charged with second-degree assault of an officer, among other things. He was booked by 7:30 a.m. and released in under an hour—just in time for his tee time.
Video evidence later confirmed there was no intent, no reckless behavior—just a miscommunication in a tragic, tense moment. Less than two weeks later, all charges were dropped. Prosecutors said plainly: Scheffler hadn’t done anything criminal.
Yet here we are, one year, two months, and multiple major wins later—with Josh Pate calling him an “ex-con.”
Fans on the internet back Scottie Scheffler after Josh Pate throws a haymaker.
When Pate hit “post,” golf fans and casuals alike came swinging in defense of their soft-spoken, iron-pure king. Twitter/X lit up almost instantly—and the replies weren’t subtle.
The fans started with, “A real rags to riches story, I tell ya!” followed by another comment: “It is quite the inspiring story, how he has turned his life around.” Sure, sarcasm was in full bloom, but beneath the jokes was real support. The man went from jail-time to the one of the best players in the world within 14 months.
Another fan threw a cheeky haymaker: “Ex-cons got game,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to the absurdity of the label. Because while the Pate tweet was trying to frame Scheffler like a Netflix redemption arc, the reality is: this man is in the middle of one of the most dominant seasons golf has seen in a decade. Scheffler isn’t just winning—he’s steamrolling. He’s already racked up four PGA Tour victories in 2025, including both The Open and the PGA Championship. He’s top of the leaderboard in FedEx Cup points, strokes gained, and earnings. In 13 starts, he’s got 12 top-10 finishes. And he’s doing all this with the same calm energy as a guy checking out at Whole Foods.
So, yeah, call him whatever you want, but that stat line? Legendary.
This fan summed it up perfectly how quickly a storyline can spiral: “Not really. He was arrested, released, and charges dropped. But yes, he is dominating.” Just because Scheffler’s mugshot exists doesn’t mean it should define him—especially when even prosecutors are saying the arrest wasn’t warranted. Facts still matter, even 14 months later.
Then came the knuckleball at last, one fan cracked, “He got arrested for following directions. My buddy did 48 hours for arguing with a horse cop at the Belmont Stakes and still isn’t allowed in Nassau County,” channeling the chaos of drunken horse racing weekends and reminding everyone that weird arrests happen. But they don’t make you a criminal.
Look, the public support for Scheffler has been consistent since day one, but this flare-up showed just how firm his reputation is. He’s the ultimate low-drama superstar: quiet, prayerful, family-centered, and absurdly good at what he does. If Tiger brought fire and flair, Scheffler’s bringing clinical execution with a side of baby stroller.
So when Pate took a shot—intended or not—it bounced off Scheffler like a range ball off a bunker rake. And the fans? They were quick to remind everyone that not all arrests are created equal. It’s not that Josh Pate doesn’t know better. He likely does. Maybe it was a swing at humor, maybe it was a bad read of the moment. But this whole thing proves something bigger: Scottie Scheffler’s got the people.
Whether he’s draining putts or dodging stray Twitter barbs, he’s unshakable. The man is in his imperial phase, and a stray comment isn’t going to derail that. Ex-con? Nah. Just a cold-blooded major champ who happened to get booked for being polite during chaos.
The post Everyone’s Saying the Same Thing About Scottie Scheffler After Josh Pate’s ‘Ex-Con’ Comment appeared first on EssentiallySports.