The latest season of Netflix’s “Full Swing” was released Tuesday, covering on- and off-course moments from the past year in golf.
Since its debut in 2023, the behind-the-scenes documentary follows men’s professional golfers, offering new perspectives on major events. Season 3’s seven-episode slate delves into a busy 2024.
New footage is seen of Scottie Scheffler‘s shocking arrest before the 2024 PGA Championship, a moment he admitted left him “freaking out.” Fans will relive the whirlwind of a year for Rory McIlroy, including his Pinehurst No. 2 collapse leading to Bryson DeChambeau‘s U.S. Open victory. Other topics covered include the Presidents Cup and Gary Woodland’s comeback after brain surgery.
Here are some of the top moments from the latest season of “Full Swing.”
Scheffler’s arrest
There might not have been a bigger story in golf last year than Scheffler being handcuffed before the first round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla. The story is well-known but new details of that morning are shown, including the reactions of other players.
Justin Thomas was awakened by the news when his agent called him. Joel Dahmen was feeding his kids breakfast and thought, “This can’t be real.” Rickie Fowler, Tom Kim and Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott all believed it was fake. Scheffler shared more insight on his emotions.
“First of all, I was freaking out because I somehow went from driving into the golf course to a jail cell and I still don’t know how that happened exactly,” Scheffler said. “I don’t think it ever really felt real.”
Body camera footage is included of the arrest, as well as ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington’s video.
While in the back of the police car, Scheffler told the officer he didn’t think he’d ever be in this position. The officer questioned Scheffler about if he had anything to drink that morning, but Scheffler said only mouthwash before cracking a joke.
Get a new look at the infamous Scottie Scheffler arrest ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship.
Full Swing Season 3 premieres tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/XsmKiDeQRw
— Netflix (@netflix) February 24, 2025
“I try not to drink too much before I go play golf at 8 a.m.,” he said.
The two engaged in further conversation with the officer telling Scheffler, “I assume you’re pretty good if you’re playing in the PGA.”
“I’m all right, yeah,” Scheffler replied, as only he could.
The officer then immediately asked the world No. 1 golfer if Tiger Woods is as good as “they say he is,” prompting Scheffler to say: “He’s pretty dang good.” Later in the sequence, the officer shared that he didn’t know Scheffler was the world No. 1 and that he’s “too casual” to be the top player.
McIlroy’s roller-coaster 2024
Coming off a 2023 Ryder Cup win with Team Europe, McIlroy seemed to be building momentum, but he admits in Episode 2 that he hadn’t been at his best since Rome.
McIlroy decided to enter the Zurich Invitational with friend Shane Lowry. Lowry offered support for McIlroy, explaining he feels like the golfer “gets a lot of s—.” The duo won the event and the potential impact of it on McIlroy’s confidence was clear to him.
“I was becoming quite frustrated with the game and a week like that, it can turn everything around,” he said. “… I definitely feel like I can use this win to sort of springboard myself into the next part of the season.”
McIlroy built off Zurich with a victory in the Wells Fargo Championship, gaining legitimate steam heading into the PGA Championship. But, news of his divorce broke before the event and dominated the headlines.
McIlroy reflected candidly about his private life, saying there are parts he’d like to keep as private as possible.
“Unfortunately, in this line of work that isn’t always possible. I’ve always tried to be protective of my loved ones from people that have ill intentions. I think it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘Let’s just focus on the golf for a little bit,'” he said.
McIlroy had more adversity to face as the year continued.
Mcllory’s heartbreak, DeChambeau’s triumph: An eventful U.S. Open finish
Netflix builds the U.S. Open as an opportunity for either McIlroy or DeChambeau to get a major victory. McIlroy’s divorce is off and he said that going into the major, he felt as if he’d reset.
DeChambeau led at 7-under going into the final day, while McIlroy was tied for second at 4 under. McIlroy went one up over DeChambeau on Hole 13, seemingly in the driver’s seat for a win.
While attempting to save par on Hole 16, McIlroy’s short putt rolled out of the hole in back-breaking fashion — the shortest putt he’d missed all year — and on Hole 18, McIlroy missed another short par putt dropping him below DeChambeau at 5 under.
😱 😱 😱 😱
RORY MISSES ON 18.
Bryson can win the U.S. Open with a par on 18. pic.twitter.com/lSk0ZzzZK2
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 16, 2024
“I think missing that little putt on 16, which I hadn’t done all week, I feel like that putt sort of let Bryson back into the tournament,” McIlroy said.
The cameras followed McIlroy into a room as DeChambeau took his tee shot on the final hole. Of course, what came next was DeChambeau’s tough shot out of the bunker that set him up for the winning putt.
DeChambeau’s exuberant celebration shots are interrupted by the silence of McIlroy’s defeat as he leaves the grounds without speaking to reporters. McIlroy reflected on the aftermath of his loss.
“If you treat it as so binary as winning is good and not winning is bad, it’s a career of torture. As crushing of a defeat that I’ve had in golf, it was probably the toughest finish to a tournament that I’ve ever had. So I probably did everyone a favor by getting out of there,” he said. “I didn’t want to speak to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. I just wanted to get on the plane and go home.”
The ‘Full Swing’ effect on Clark
Season 2 highlighted Wyndham Clark‘s rise as a golfer, building on a strong 2023 when he won the U.S. Open. In the latest season, Clark is asked what has changed in his life since the previous one. He simply says: “People know who I am a lot more.”
“The show has done so much good for getting my story out there. Honestly, it’s amazing the amount of love that I’ve gotten from that,” Clark said.
His story caught the attention of actor Mark Wahlberg. Clark and Wahlberg are working together on Wahlberg’s golf clothing brand “Municipal.”
Clark’s story touched the actor, who said that he wanted to call Clark and commend him for how he opened up on the show.
“Just to see the way he conducted himself with the maturity and the grace that he did it, opening up with the struggles that he’s had, I thought that is the kind of thing that moves the needle for other people,” Wahlberg said. “To see him skyrocketing as a star and as a man, it was very impressive.”
The fun scene with Wahlberg precedes a tough one in which Clark finishes tied for second place at the Players Championship behind Scheffler after a strong week.
On Hole 17 of the final round, cameras show Wahlberg watching on his phone to support Clark. Clark needed a birdie on the final hole to send it to a playoff. The scene concludes with Clark’s putt rimming out and Wahlberg giving his phone away to stop watching.
Clark says at the moment he doesn’t know if he has ever been that heartbroken in golf. But, with Wahlberg’s support, it highlighted how his fame has changed since the last “Full Swing” season.