Garrick Higgo has criticised the decision to hand him a two-shot penalty for being late to his tee time which ultimately cost him a share of the opening-round lead at the PGA Championship.
Higgo was due to tee off at 7.18am local time (12.18pm UK time) on Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club for the second men's major of the year, partnering former major champion Shaun Micheel and PGA Tour player Michael Brennan.
The South African 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.
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.
"I wouldn't have been late if I knew I was running late," Higgo said after his opening-round 69. "This is the first time it's happened. I was just happy they allowed me to tee off, firstly, you know what I mean? I was bummed when he said I had a two-shot penalty."
The 27-year-old responded by posting four birdies and just one bogey over the rest of his round, with a 25-foot par at the last leaving him within two strokes of the early clubhouse leader, before spending over 10 minutes in the scorer's hut to question the decision.
Without the penalty, he would have been the eighth player to .
"I was just trying to get evidence," Higgo added. "I feel like any of you would have done the same. I was there on time, but the rule is, if you're one second late, you're late. So if you think about it, I was there on time, if you know what I mean.
"Again, I wasn't that late. I was supposed to tee off last in any case, and he hadn't announced Shaun [Micheel] yet. Obviously he was dealing with finding me, so he probably would have announced Shaun on time.
"If you know me, then you know I am very casual and laid back. I don't want to be there ten minutes early. I know that five minutes is fine. I thought I had time. I was obviously too casual."
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.
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 Your Site - 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."
Your Site' Andrew Coltart added: "There was still someone to play, but if you're name is announced then game over. Somebody had already teed off, you heard the tee shot, so that was clumsy.
"There isn't an argument really if your playing partner has already teed off. You wouldn't want to rush onto the tee one second before - goodness knows where you would hit it. You've got to get there in time, to calm down to think about your tee shot, to then hit it.
"It's just bizarre that a professional golfer can do that."
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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