'That's 2 shots': Pro shows up late, penalized at PGA Championship

On Thursday morning at the PGA Championship, a rare but telling incident occurred: South African golfer Garrick Higgo was assessed a two-stroke penalty for being late to his first-round tee time. His scheduled start was 7:18 a.m., but cameras captured him arriving at the tee at 7:19 a.m., putter in hand, while his caddie was already on the tee box with his golf bag.

"You know you're late to the tee?" an official asked him. "That's two shots. Good luck to you." Higgo, sheepishly, replied, "Yes, thank you," and proceeded to the tee.

The rules of golf regarding timely starts are among the strictest. According to Rule 5.3a, a player must be ready to play at their starting time and starting point. A starting time is treated as exact, meaning 7:18 a.m. is precisely that time, not any time until 7:19 a.m. Being late by even a second constitutes a breach.

PGA of America officials clarified that Higgo was on the practice putting green but not within the area defined as the starting point at his scheduled time. The starting point was clearly marked by ropes, gallery stakes, and blue markers. The walk from the practice greens, located uphill and near the clubhouse, to the first tee takes a few minutes, making the situation even more unfortunate.

Fortunately for Higgo, he was not more than five minutes late. Had he been, disqualification would have been the penalty. The rule stipulates a two-stroke penalty for arriving late by anywhere from one second to five minutes. It's worth noting that the same penalty applies for teeing off early.

An exception to this rule exists if the Committee decides that exceptional circumstances prevented the player from starting on time. However, in this instance, such a decision was not made. The rules state that a player's round begins when the player makes a stroke to start their first hole. The player must start at (and not before) their starting time.

The penalty was applied to Higgo's first hole. He completed it with a double bogey, taking four strokes. Despite such an unfortunate start, Higgo managed to regroup. On the remaining holes of his front nine, he recorded two birdies and six pars, finishing the first half of his round at even par.

This incident highlights the importance of strict adherence to rules in professional golf, where every detail matters. For Higgo, who finished last season on a high note with several top-7 finishes in his fall PGA Tour starts, the beginning of the 2026 season has been far more challenging. His best result this season is T40, and his best career finish in a major championship is T47 at the 2022 Open.

Garrick Higgo is scheduled to tee off at 12:43 p.m. local time on Friday. Hopefully, he will make it to the tee on time this time.

Key Information:

• Player: Garrick Higgo.
• Tournament: PGA Championship.
• Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026.
• Tee Time: 7:18 a.m.
• Arrival Time at Tee: 7:19 a.m.
• Infraction: Lateness to the starting tee.
• Penalty: Two-stroke penalty (applied to the first hole).
• Score on First Hole: Double bogey (6 strokes).
• Current Score on Front Nine: Even par.
• Rule: Rule 5.3a of the Rules of Golf.

Context:

The Rules of Golf impose strict sanctions for lateness to the tee. Players are required to be ready to play at their appointed time. Lateness of up to five minutes results in a two-stroke penalty, while being more than five minutes late leads to disqualification. Exceptions are only possible in cases of exceptional circumstances, as determined by the tournament Committee.