In a dramatic start to the 2025 PGA Championship, South African golfer Garrick Higgo was hit with a two-stroke penalty before even hitting his first shot—all because he arrived one minute late to his tee time.

The incident occurred during Thursday's opening round at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Higgo was scheduled to tee off on hole one at 7:18 a.m. ET but arrived at the starting point just 60 seconds behind schedule. According to Rule 5.3a of the PGA of America's Local Rules, players must be ready to play at the designated starting time and location. The PGA confirmed that while Higgo was on the practice green, he was not within the defined starting area when his time came.

"The rule is if you're one second late, you're late," Higgo said after his round, visibly frustrated but maintaining his composure. "I was obviously there on time, but late, and that's a two-shot penalty. I wouldn't have been late if I knew I was running late."

Remarkably, the 25-year-old didn't let the early setback derail his game. Despite starting the tournament two strokes behind the field, Higgo carded an impressive one-under-par 69, putting him in a tie for 13th place. Without the penalty, his score would have been good enough to share the first-round lead—a stunning what-if scenario for golf fans.

The irony? Higgo actually arrived at the course well before sunrise, spending hours working out, warming up on the practice range, and fine-tuning his short game and putting. He finally reached the first tee just as his caddie was calling out to him, but by then, it was too late.

"Obviously, this is the first time it's happened," Higgo admitted. "I wasn't sure quite what... I was just happy they allowed me to tee off, firstly. I was bummed when he said I had a two-shot penalty."

For golfers and fans alike, this serves as a powerful reminder: in professional golf, punctuality isn't just courtesy—it's a two-stroke difference that can change the entire trajectory of a major championship. Higgo tees off for Round 2 at 12:43 p.m. ET, looking to overcome his penalty and climb the leaderboard.