Garrick Higgo was left starting the PGA Championship with a two-shot penalty after being late to his tee time at Aronimink Golf Club.
Higgo was due to tee off at 7.18am local time (12.18pm UK time) on Thursday for the second men’s major of the year, partnering former major champion Shaun Micheel and PGA Tour player Michael Brennan.
The South Africa was on the practice putting green but was not within the area defined as the starting point at his starting time, leaving Higgo penalised under Rule 5.3a of the rules of golf.
Rule 5.3a states that a player’s round starts when the player makes a stroke to start their first hole, along with a player being ready to play at the starting time and starting point set by the committee.
Higgo arrived within five minutes of his scheduled time, meaning he had a two-shot penalty applied to the first hole and saw his two-putt par turn into a double-bogey six. Had he been over five minutes late, he would have faced disqualification.
The PGA of America’s local rules and terms of the competition stated that the starting point for holes one and 10 is by the rope, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and/or blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines, with Higgo away from that area at his official tee time.
Speaking about the incident, former Solheim Cup player Mel Reid – commentating for Sky Sports – said: “It’s a bit silly, really. You are in full control of it so I don’t really know anyone who has done it.”
Sky Sports’ Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley added: “Not a prayer I would ever be late. That is a recurring nightmare for me. That and chipping onto a table and then it going over the other side.”
Higgo entered the week as world No 85 and having finished no higher than tied-40th on the PGA Tour this season. His last win came at the Corales Puntacana Championship in April 2025.
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