"I was too casual," Higgo admitted, acknowledging he did not arrive 10 minutes early as required.

Higgo Hit With Two-Stroke Penalty for Late Arrival at PGA Championship

Garrick Higgo, a 27-year-old South African golfer, was assessed a two-stroke penalty before teeing off in the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club for arriving late to the first tee. His tee time was scheduled for 7:18 a.m. on Thursday.

Timing Discrepancy

Higgo claims he arrived at the tee before 7:19 a.m. and within 30 seconds of his tee time. PGA of America officials stated they did not have his exact arrival time, while ESPN recorded it as 7:19 a.m.

According to PGA of America Rule 5.3a, a starting time is treated as an exact time (e.g., 9:00:00 a.m.), so any delay results in a two-stroke penalty.

Round Performance

Despite the penalty, Higgo recorded a round of 67 strokes (one bogey, four birdies), including a birdie on the 241-yard par-3 17th.

• Without the penalty: His score would have been 3-under-par, tied for the first-round lead.
• With the penalty: He finished at 1-under-par.

Player's Account

Higgo stated he was on the practice green putting before his round and was called to the tee by his caddie.

He acknowledged being "too casual" and not arriving 10 minutes early.

He noted that his playing partners, Shaun Micheel and Michael Brennan, argued against the penalty but were overruled. Higgo spent about 20 minutes after his round presenting evidence to PGA officials, claiming he was on time but late.

Background

• Best major finish: Tied for 47th (has never finished better in a major championship)
• Recent form: Has missed four of his last six major cuts
• Career wins: Two wins on lower-tier PGA Tour events, three wins in European tournaments