Garrick Higgo’s tardiness earned him a 2-shot PGA Championship penalty he’ll regret
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Garrick Higgo, a 27-year-old South African golfer, was assessed a two-stroke penalty at the start of the PGA Championship for reportedly arriving late to his tee time, though he insists he arrived exactly at 7:18 a.m. or within seconds after.
- The PGA of America enforces Rule 5.3a, which treats a tee time as an exact moment, meaning arriving even seconds late can result in penalties; ESPN recorded Higgo's arrival at 7:19 a.m.
- Despite the penalty, Higgo played an outstanding round of 67, which would have tied for the first-round lead without the penalty, including four birdies and only one bogey on a challenging course.
- Higgo spent about 20 minutes after his round arguing his case with officials, claiming he was casual about timing and unaware he was late, noting he had prepared early that morning with physiotherapy and practice sessions.
- The incident highlights the strictness of PGA timing rules and the potential consequences for players, as Higgo’s calm demeanor and late penalty could significantly impact his performance in the tournament.