Garrick Higgo was penalized two strokes for being late to his Thursday morning tee time in the first round of the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, the PGA of America said in a news release.
Per the release, Higgo was scheduled to begin on the No. 1 hole at 7:18 a.m. ET and was playing alongside 2003 PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel and Michael Brennan. The PGA of America said Higgo, who is ranked 85th in the world, was on the putting green but not inside the area defined as the starting point for his tee time.
The association’s Local Rules and Terms of Competition specify the starting point on the Nos. 1 and 10 holes by physical markers, the release said, including ropes, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and blue stakes, dots or lines. Because Higgo was outside that designated area when his time arrived, the PGA assessed a penalty.
The release says an exception to Rule 5.3a allowed Higgo to remain in the tournament; that rule permits a player to arrive at the starting point ready to play no more than five minutes late. The two-stroke penalty was applied on the first hole.
Higgo made par on the par-4 first hole but, after the penalty was applied, recorded a double-bogey 6 on that hole, per the PGA. The report added that the 27-year-old, a two-time PGA Tour winner, recovered with birdies on the par-4 third and the par-5 ninth and turned in even-par 35.
