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Garrick Higgo Penalized Two Strokes for Late Tee

5/14/2026

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Summary

Higgo Late Penalty

Garrick Higgo received a two-stroke penalty for arriving one minute late to his 7:18 a.m. tee time at the 2026 PGA Championship under Rule 5.3a.
He double-bogeyed the first hole, birdied the third, leaving him one over par through eight holes after the penalty.
The two-stroke deficit pressures Higgo as he seeks his first top-40 major finish.
Rule 5.3 provides a five-minute grace period, with later arrival resulting in disqualification.

Summary

Analysts Slam Penalty

Rule 5.3a penalties for late arrivals are rare at majors, with a five-minute arrival incurring two strokes and any longer delay causing disqualification.
The first round will be televised on ESPN and CBS from noon to 8 p.m. ET, with streaming on ESPN+.
Sky Sports analysts Mel Reid and Wayne “Radar” Riley criticized the penalty as silly and a recurring nightmare.

History

Historical Context

The USGA’s long-standing rulebook assigns a two-stroke penalty for many infractions, a principle reinforced by its 2019 rewrite. When Garrick Higgo received such a penalty for a late tee time at the 2026 PGA Championship, broadcasters like ESPN and Sky Sports echoed past disputes, highlighting the governing body’s ongoing challenge of applying consistent major-tournament penalties.

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Higgo Late Penalty

Garrick Higgo received a two-stroke penalty for arriving one minute late to his 7:18 a.m. tee time at the 2026 PGA Championship under Rule 5.3a.
He double-bogeyed the first hole, birdied the third, leaving him one over par through eight holes after the penalty.
The two-stroke deficit pressures Higgo as he seeks his first top-40 major finish.
Rule 5.3 provides a five-minute grace period, with later arrival resulting in disqualification.

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