Garrick Higgo, a professional golfer from South Africa, faced a two-stroke penalty during the opening round of the 108th PGA Championship. This event took place at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
Incident Details
Higgo, ranked 85th in the world, was scheduled to tee off at 7:18 a.m. ET. He played alongside former PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel and player Michael Brennan.
Reason for Penalty
According to the PGA of America, Higgo was penalized for arriving late to his designated starting point. Instead of being at the tee, he was practicing on the putting green.
Rules and Regulations
The PGA’s Local Rules clearly outline the starting point for players, defined by specific markers such as roping and stakes. Higgo was late but allowed to continue in the tournament due to an exception outlined in Rule 5.3a.
Impact of Penalty on Performance
Due to the late arrival, Higgo started with a two-stroke penalty at the first hole. Although he made a par on the par-4 hole, he recorded a double-bogey 6 because of the penalty consequences.
Recovery Efforts
Despite the setback, Higgo showed resilience by recording birdies on the par-4 third hole and par-5 ninth. He completed the front nine at an even-par 35.
- Player: Garrick Higgo
- Country: South Africa
- PGA Championship: 108th edition
- Location: Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, PA
- Tee Time: 7:18 a.m. ET
- Starting Group: Shaun Micheel, Michael Brennan
- Penalty: Two strokes
- Performance on First Hole: Double-bogey 6
- Performance Highlights: Birdies on holes 3 and 9
- Front Nine Score: Even-par 35
