Even before Garrick Higgo stepped onto the first tee at the PGA Championship, his round was already in jeopardy. The South African golfer was hit with a rare two-stroke penalty for arriving just one minute late to his tee time—a costly mistake that left him playing catch-up from the very start.

Higgo was scheduled to tee off at 7:18 a.m. ET at Aronimink Golf Club, but he reported to the tee at 7:19 a.m. According to the PGA of America, Higgo was on the practice putting green at his scheduled time, but that area is not considered part of the starting point where players are required to be. As he walked up to the tee, an official informed him of the penalty, and Higgo appeared to accept the ruling without surprise.

The two-stroke penalty essentially gave him a double bogey on the first hole before he even swung a club. Despite the setback, Higgo responded impressively with a bogey-free front nine that included birdies on holes No. 3 and No. 9. That strong play left him at even par through nine holes instead of 2-under, a testament to his resilience under pressure.

Higgo, 27, hasn't finished higher than 47th in a major championship, and last year's PGA Championship marked his only other major start in the last four years. While the penalty was a tough break, his solid start kept him within striking distance of the leaderboard as the first round unfolded. For any golfer, starting a major with a two-stroke deficit is a steep hill to climb—but Higgo showed he's ready to fight.