Garrick Higgo Assessed 'Late to the Tee' Penalty Garrick Higgo, a South African professional golfer, was penalized two strokes during the first round of the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, for arriving late to the tee. The penalty was imposed by the PGA of America Rule Committee, which cited Rule 5.3a of the competition’s regulations. Higgo’s delay occurred at 7:18 am, well before the scheduled starting time for the first hole, which was set at 9:00 am. According to the PGA’s Local Rules and Terms of the Competition, the starting point for the first hole is defined by specific markers on the course, including ropes, gallery stakes, green bike fencing, blue stakes, blue dots, or blue lines. Higgo was on the practice putting green at the time of his arrival but was not within the designated starting area. The committee determined that his failure to be at the starting point by the exact starting time constituted a breach of Rule 5.3a. Rule 5.3a outlines that a player’s round begins when they make a stroke to start their first hole, as specified in Rule 6.1a. The rule also mandates that players must be ready to play at their assigned starting time, which is treated as an exact moment—such as 9:00:00 am, not any time before 9:01 am. If a player arrives at the starting point and is ready to play but is more than five minutes late, they receive the general penalty for the first hole, which in this case was two strokes. The PGA of America’s ruling clarified that while arriving late to the tee is a violation, exceptions exist. For instance, if a player arrives at the starting point and is ready to play within five minutes of the scheduled time, they are only penalized with the general penalty.#pga_of_america #aronimink_golf_club #garrick_higgo #2026_pga_championship #newtown_square_pennsylvania
