PGA 2026: Garrick Higgo receives 2-shot penalty for arriving late to tee at PGA

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Garrick Higgo’s PGA Championship is already off to a rough start.

The two-time PGA Tour winner was slapped with a two-shot penalty Thursday for arriving late to the tee for his 7:18 a.m. ET start time at Aronimink.

The PGA rules committee said that Higgo was on the practice putting green but “not within the area defined as the starting point at his starting time.”

The area for the first and 10^th tees, according to the rules sheet, is by the rope, gallery stakes and bike fencing. Higgo needed to be at the first tee by the exact tee time, and video showed him arriving as his fellow playing competitor Shaun Micheel had already struck his tee shot.

As a result, Higgo violated Rule 5.3a and received a two-shot penalty. He made double bogey on the hole to begin his round.

The South African went on to make four birdies and one bogey the rest of the way for a 1-under 69, two off the early lead.

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• Golf Channel Staff,

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