Guilty: Nike Mocks Scottie Scheffler's Arrest After PGA Championship

On Sunday afternoon, Scottie Scheffler held on to win the 2025 PGA Championship. Before Scheffler raised the Wanamaker Trophy, Nike had already released an edgy new advertisement on social media.

The official Nike social media accounts shared a picture of Scheffler's follow-through after a drive. In the blue skies above Quail Hollow Club, a message read, "Best player in the world? Guilty."

The caption read, "The verdict is in. World No. 1 @scottie.scheffler is the PGA Champion." Below is a look and breakdown of the borderline-controversial ad.

The advertisement is a light-hearted joke about Scheffler's 2024 arrest outside the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Scheffler was arrested after a traffic incident but was released in time to play that day.

Yesterday's victory came exactly one year and one day after Scheffler's booking, and viral mugshot dominated sports headlines throughout the Major.

Nike struck a much different tone with the irreverent joke about Scheffler's ad compared to the heartfelt commercial for Rory McIlroy after the Masters earlier this Spring.

While Nike's ad was shocking, it resonated with golf fans. Among the brand's 300 million followers on Instagram, the replies were overwhelmingly positive.

Replies like "Marketing team stays undefeated, "Whoever thought of this needs a raise," and "Nike's copywriting remains undefeated" were among the most liked comments on the post.

Scheffler first signed with Nike in 2022 and has become one of the main pillars of the brand's golf division. Fans can buy Scheffler's Victory Tour 4 shoes in the "PGA Championship" colorway for $210 on the Nike website.

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