27-Year-Old South African Given Rare Penalty Amid PGA Championship
The opening round of the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club featured an unusual moment on Thursday morning when 27-year-old South African golfer Garrick Higgo was assessed a two-stroke penalty for being late to the tee.
According to an official statement released by the PGA of America, Higgo was penalized during Round 1 after failing to be inside the designated starting area at his scheduled 7:18 a.m. tee time on Hole No. 1.
The ruling quickly drew attention because penalties for being late to the tee are relatively uncommon at major championships, especially among experienced PGA Tour players. Higgo, who has already won twice on the PGA Tour during his career, was reportedly on the practice putting green before his round but had not entered the clearly marked starting zone when his official tee time arrived.
The PGA Championship Rules Committee explained that the tournament's local rules specifically define the "starting point" using ropes, gallery stakes, fencing and blue markings surrounding the tee area. Under Rule 5.3a, players must be fully ready to play at the exact starting time established by tournament officials.
Because Higgo arrived within five minutes of his start time, the punishment resulted in the general penalty of two strokes rather than an automatic disqualification.
Garrick Higgo, from South Africa, was penalized two-strokes for being late to the tee (7:18 am Tee #1) during round one of the PGA Championshiphttps://t.co/Dw7LXcsPrq
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 14, 2026
PGA Championship Officials Cite Rule 5.3a
Tournament officials referenced Rule 5.3a in the ruling, which states that players must be ready to play at the exact starting time assigned by the committee. The rule treats tee times as precise down to the second.
The PGA of America statement noted that Higgo "was not within the area defined as the starting point at his starting time," leading to the ruling. The committee clarified that players who arrive more than five minutes late face disqualification, while those arriving within that five-minute window receive a two-stroke penalty on their opening hole.
The incident immediately became one of the early talking points from Thursday's action at Aronimink, where difficult course conditions and slick greens were already challenging players throughout the field.
Garrick Higgo Has Built Strong PGA Tour Resume
Despite still being only 27 years old, Higgo already owns multiple victories on both the PGA Tour and European Tour. The Johannesburg native broke through internationally with three European Tour wins before capturing the 2021 Palmetto Championship in just his second PGA Tour start.
He later added another PGA Tour victory at the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship.
Higgo entered this week looking to improve on his previous best finish at the PGA Championship, which came in 2025 when he tied for 55th.
Rare Rules Situation Becomes Early Storyline
While rules controversies occasionally surface during major championships, penalties tied specifically to late tee arrivals remain rare at the highest level of professional golf. The strict enforcement of Rule 5.3a serves as another reminder of how tightly regulated major championship play can be.
With the leaderboard still developing early Thursday, Higgo now faces an uphill climb after beginning his tournament two strokes behind before even completing his first hole.
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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 7:29 AM.