Garrick Higgo criticised a ruling that cost him a share of the opening-round lead at the PGA Championship after he was handed a two‑shot penalty for being late to his tee time at Aronimink Golf Club.
Higgo, the 27‑year‑old South African, was due to tee off at 7.18am local time alongside Shaun Micheel and Michael Brennan. He was on the practice putting green at his starting time but not inside the area defined by the committee as the official starting point, so officials applied Rule 5.3a and assessed a two‑shot penalty to his first hole. Because he arrived within five minutes of his scheduled time he was penalised; had he been more than five minutes late he would have faced disqualification.
The penalty turned what had been a two‑putt par into a double‑bogey six at the first hole. Higgo regrouped and produced four birdies and one bogey the rest of the round, closing with a 25‑foot par at the 18th to card a 69. He said the decision cost him a share of the early clubhouse lead — without the penalty he would have been among the players tied at three under.
“I wouldn’t have been late if I knew I was running late,” Higgo said after his round. “I was just happy they allowed me to tee off… I was bummed when he said I had a two‑shot penalty.” He added that he was trying to gather evidence and felt he had been “there on time,” acknowledging that he had been “too casual.” He spent more than ten minutes in the scorer’s hut questioning the decision.
The PGA of America’s local rules specified the starting point for holes one and ten as the area near the rope, gallery stakes, green‑bike fencing and/or blue stakes, dots or lines — and Higgo was outside that area at his official start. Rule 5.3a says a player’s round starts when they are ready to play at the committee‑set starting time and starting point; failure to be ready can incur the penalties applied in this case.
Commentators called the incident unfortunate. Former Solheim Cup player Mel Reid described it as “a bit silly,” while Sky Sports’ Andrew Coltart called it “clumsy,” noting that players must be at the starting point in good time to compose themselves for the tee shot.
Higgo entered the week ranked 85th in the world and had not finished higher than tied 40th on the PGA Tour this season; his most recent victory was the Corales Puntacana Championship in April 2025.