Garrick Higgo of South Africa walks the 16th hole alongside caddie Austin Gaugert during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 14, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Picture: Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Image: Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Garrick Higgo took a bizarre stance in reaction to his two-shot penalty for being late for his first-round tee time at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, in Philadelphia, on Thursday.
Despite his penalty, Higgo still managed a one-under 69 for a share of 15th. Fellow South African Aldrich Potgieter leads the way on three-under with seven other players after the first round.
Rules state that players have to be on the tee 10 minutes before they are scheduled to begin their rounds.
Higgo was a few seconds late by his account, and seemed to take a blasé attitude to his infraction after the round.
“I always cut it pretty fine. There are a lot of us who do. We don’t want to get to the tee box 10 minutes early and be cold and have to hit it far and straight. It’s our job to do that,” said the 27-year-old Higgo.
“I don’t really think it’s my job to be 10 minutes early.”
In what world does Higgo think the rules don’t apply to him? He also said he was one second late, so he “wasn’t really late”. He then contradicted himself as he admitted to his infraction:“Yes, I was late, it’s fine.”
The sheer lack of responsibility for his actions is what I find astounding. Golfers, for example, are not allowed to ground their club in a hazard, and Higgo would never do that, so why is this other rule fine to disregard?
It just doesn’t make sense to me.
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