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Garrick Higgo Penalized Two Strokes, Still Scores 69

5/15/2026

42 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Higgo Late Penalty

Garrick Higgo received a penalty for arriving one minute late to his 7:18 a.m. tee time at Aronimink Golf Club on May 14.
An official told Higgo at 7:19 a.m. that Rule 5.3a, which requires tee times, added two strokes for the breach, making his first-hole score a double-bogey 6.
Despite the penalty, Higgo shot a 1-under 69, finished two shots off the lead and avoided disqualification as his lateness was under five minutes.

Summary

Jaeger Leads

The opening round at Aronimink Golf Club had slick greens and large, demanding putting surfaces that tested competitors.
German Stephen Jaeger took an early lead with a 4-under 31 on his front nine.
Bryson DeChambeau missed a long birdie putt that rolled 40 feet past the hole on the 11th.
Higgo entered ranked No 85 and had never finished better than tied-40th on the PGA Tour that season, highlighting his underdog status.

History

Historical Context

Since the Western Open—launched in 1899 by the Western Golf Association as a Midwest PGA Tour event—has been a ground for USGA rule changes, the 1975 revision adding a two-stroke late-arrival penalty first hit Tom Watson at Butler National, dropping him from solo lead to a tie for third. Decades later Garrick Higgo faced the same sanction at Aronimink, illustrating the rule’s lasting impact.

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Higgo Late Penalty

Garrick Higgo received a penalty for arriving one minute late to his 7:18 a.m. tee time at Aronimink Golf Club on May 14.
An official told Higgo at 7:19 a.m. that Rule 5.3a, which requires tee times, added two strokes for the breach, making his first-hole score a double-bogey 6.
Despite the penalty, Higgo shot a 1-under 69, finished two shots off the lead and avoided disqualification as his lateness was under five minutes.

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