Full Breakdown
Late Arrival Penalty Splits Garrick Higgo and Caddie Austin Gaugert at PGA Championship
5/22/2026, 6:39:22 AM
Penalty at Aronimink
Garrick Higgo, a 27-year-old South African PGA Tour winner, was scheduled to start his first round at 7:18 a.m. ET on Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club. He arrived at 7:19 a.m., one minute late, and officials added a two-stroke penalty under Rule 5.3a.
Late-Arrival Rule
Rule 5.3a imposes a two-stroke penalty for a player not present at the starting point at the tee time; a delay of more than five minutes results in disqualification.
Players
Higgo was paired with caddie Austin Gaugert for the PGA Championship. After the tournament, Higgo hired former European Tour caddie Nick Cavendish-Pell for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Timeline & Scores
Thursday: late arrival and two-stroke penalty applied.
Friday: Higgo shot 69 (one under) despite the penalty, then 76 in round two, missing the cut by one stroke.
Without the penalty he would have made the weekend and earned a paycheck at the season’s second major.
Caddie's Apology
In an Instagram Story, Gaugert said he “fell short” of his duties, praised Higgo’s professionalism and class, expressed gratitude for their partnership, and wished Higgo continued success.
Community Critique
Some commentators blamed Gaugert for not having Higgo on the tee box in time, noting that hand-holding is not a caddie’s duty and that vigilance is expected at majors.
Reporting Gaps
No direct comment from Higgo appears in the sources, and PGA officials provided only the rule-based rationale without further explanation.
Future Event
Higgo will compete in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson with Cavendish-Pell.
Impact and Significance
The two-stroke penalty turned a one-under opening round into a score that ultimately left Higgo one shot short of the cut, denying him a weekend of major-championship earnings. The incident also sparked debate over the caddie’s role in timing logistics, with commentators emphasizing that vigilance is expected at majors.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As a caddie, you try to do everything you can to prepare your player for competition and I fell short of that.” — Austin Gaugert, Caddie
- “Garrick was understanding throughout the situation and handled it with professionalism and class.” — Austin Gaugert, Caddie
- “Garrick handled a difficult situation with grace, and I wish him nothing but success moving forward.” — Austin Gaugert, Caddie
- “After working with Garrick and finding the highest success in caddying, Garrick has become a better friend to me than just a boss. I will always be grateful for that.” — Austin Gaugert, Caddie
