South African golfer Garrick Higgo incurred a two-stroke penalty at the PGA Championship on Thursday for arriving late to his 7.18am first-round tee time in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, alongside Michael Brennan and Shaun Micheel.
Higgo insisted, “Like, I was there at 7:18, 30 seconds, you know what I mean?”, but golf’s strict rules were applied. The penalty resulted in a double bogey on the par-four opening hole.
He finished with a one-under-par 69, placing him within range of the leaders without the sanction.
Higgo contested the decision with PGA officials. “I was just trying to get evidence,” he said. “I feel like any of you would have done the same. It’s kind of — I was there on time, but the rule is, if you’re one second late, you’re late. So if you think about it, I was there on time, if you know what I mean.”
open image in galleryHiggo contended his playing partners, Brennan and Micheel, were not put off.
“They actually argued my case for me. Again, I wasn’t that late,” he said. “When I got there — I was supposed to tee off last in any case, and Shaun — (they) hadn’t announced Shaun yet.
“Obviously he was dealing with finding me, so he probably would have announced Shaun on time. I asked them if I bothered them for being late, and I said, I apologize for that. But they said it was fine. I obviously don’t want to bother anybody, so, yeah.”
Ranked 85th in the world, Higgo is a two-time PGA Tour winner. This is his fourth PGA Championship, seeking a maiden major top-40 finish.
Higgo was not the only star to have difficulties on the opening day at Aronimink Golf Club, as Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau also struggled in their opening rounds.
Masters champion McIlroy bogeyed the first hole and was unable to find his best form, leaving himself with work to do to make the cut on Friday.
Meanwhile, DeChambeau, who failed to make the cut at Augusta National last month, is also facing the prospect of missing the weekend after a disappointing first round on Thursday.