NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Golf is challenging enough without showing up late. Garrick Higgo received a two-stroke penalty for arriving late to his 7:18 a.m. tee time at the PGA Championship. The PGA of America confirmed that Higgo was on the practice green, not within the designated area of Aronimink's first tee, when his starting time began. Though the path from the practice green to the first tee is busy, it is certainly manageable, especially with proper timing.
When Higgo finally reached the first tee, a rules official informed him that he was approximately one minute late and would be penalized two strokes. The PGA of America explained that players must be ready to play at their exact starting time, meaning 7:18 a.m. is treated as 7:18:00 a.m., not including any grace period.
Higgo could have faced disqualification if he had been five minutes late. Despite starting with a double bogey due to the penalty, he managed to return to even par by the turn. Higgo, currently ranked 85th in the world, has won twice on the PGA Tour, most recently at the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship. This is his third PGA Championship appearance, with his best finish being a tie for 55th last year at Quail Hollow.