Garrick Higgo has been at the centre of one of the first eye-catching stories of the PGA Championship 2026. It was not because of a birdie, an impossible shot or a spectacular round, but because of a rare penalty in a Major. The South African golfer began the first round at Aronimink Golf Club with a two-shot penalty for arriving late to the tee.
The PGA de América officially confirmed that Higgo was penalised two shots for not being at the designated starting point at the exact time of his tee time. His tee time was 7.18am on the 1st tee, but, according to the Comité de Reglas, the player was on the practice putting green and not inside the area marked as the starting point.
The nuance is important. Higgo was not missing or far from the first tee. He was nearby, in the putting practice area. However, the rule is clear: the player must be ready to play at his exact starting time and within the point defined by the Comité. At Aronimink, that point is marked by ropes, stakes, green fences, blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines, according to the Reglas Locales y Términos de la Competición de la PGA de América.
The Regla 5.3a states that a player must start the round at the appointed time, neither before nor after. It also specifies that a tee time is interpreted exactly: if the time is 9.00, it means 9:00:00, not any time before 9:01. In the case of arriving at the starting point ready to play with no more than five minutes’ delay, the penalty is the general one, that is, two strokes in stroke play, applied to the first hole.
That was exactly what happened to Higgo. The South African was not disqualified because he arrived within the margin covered by the rule’s exception, but he did start his PGA Championship with a heavy handicap of two shots even before playing his first official shot.
A stark reminder, in the opening round of a Major, that in professional golf being nearby is not enough. You have to be in the exact place, ready and at the exact time.
