Garrick Higgo Reveals Reasoning For Late Tee Time Penalty At PGA Championship
After he was penalized for being late to his first round tee time at the PGA Championship, Higgo explained what actually happened prior to the bizarre incident
A rarely-seen moment occurred on Thursday at the PGA Championship, when Garrick Higgo was penalized two strokes after being late for his first round tee time.
Now, following his round, where the South African battled back for a credible one-under-par score, the man himself has explained what happened.
"I always cut it fine and this morning was pretty cold, and I never want to get to the tee 10 minutes before and get cold," stated the two-time PGA Tour winner to Sky Sports.
"Usually, I hit five putts before I go to the tee. My caddie dropped my TrackMan in the locker and I went to the putting green thinking I still had five minutes. I obviously did not.
"I hit one putt and then I heard my name (being called). My caddie was yelling at me and I ran down (to the tee) and got a two shot penalty.
"The rules official had my card and he said 'you've got a two shot penalty,' so I knew I needed to get myself ready. There was nothing I could do about it there and then."
Higgo walks the first fairway after arriving late for his tee time
In fairness to Higgo, who opened with a double bogey six, he did fire four birdies and a bogey over his 17 remaining holes for a one-under 69, which put him just outside the top 10 at the time.
Adding to his explanation, the 27-year-old revealed that it was the first time he's ever been penalized for being late, as Higgo then went into more detail about how the series of events unfolded as he walked the first hole speaking to a rules official.
"I was just trying to get evidence. I feel like any of you would have done the same.
"It's kind of -- 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...
Garrick Higgo was penalized two strokes for being late to the tee for his opening round at the PGA Championship. pic.twitter.com/WFGX7fkLREMay 14, 2026
"I don't want to be there (at the tee) ten minutes early. I know that five minutes is fine. I thought I had time. I was obviously too casual.
"I could have added maybe five minutes for the walk from the range to the tee, but everything is kind of here.
"I did everything on time, like I worked out my warmup from seeing my physio at 5:15, to being in the gym at 5:30, to being on putting green at 6:00, to then being on the range at 6:30.
"I left the range at... I don't know when I left. There's probably video of that. Yeah, I don't know. I just cut it a little fine."
