NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- South Africa's Garrick Higgo was penalized two strokes for being late to his Thursday morning tee time in the first round of the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Higgo, who is ranked 85th in the world, was scheduled to tee off on the No. 1 hole at 7:18 a.m. ET. He was one minute late to his tee time, according to video on the ESPN broadcast.
"I wouldn't have been late if I knew I was running late," Higgo said, after carding a 1-under 69 in the first round. "Obviously, this is the first time it's happened. I wasn't sure quite what. I was just happy they allowed me to tee off, firstly, you know what I mean? I was bummed when he said I had a two-shot penalty."
Higgo spent extra time in the scoring tent after his round discussing the situation with PGA of America officials.
The PGA of America said in a news release that Higgo was practicing on the putting green but was not within the area defined as the starting point of his starting time.
"If you know me, then you know I am very casual and laid back," Higgo said. "I don't know. I don't want to be there 10 minutes early. I know that five minutes is fine. I thought I had time. I was obviously too casual, yeah."
Higgo said his caddie, Austin Gaugert, was screaming at him to get to the tee box. He was set to tee off last in his grouping with Shaun Micheel, who hadn't teed off yet, and Michael Brennan.
"Obviously, [the starter] was dealing with finding me, so he probably would have announced Shaun on time," Higgo said. "I asked them if I bothered them for being late, and I said, ' [I] apologize for that,' but they said it was fine. I obviously don't want to bother anybody."
The PGA of America's Local Rules and Terms of Competition define the starting point of a round on the Nos. 1 and 10 holes by the "rope, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and/or blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines."
Higgo, 27, was allowed to remain in the tournament because of an exception to Rule 5.3a, which allows a golfer to arrive at the starting point ready to play no more than five minutes late.
Higgo was assessed a two-stroke penalty on the first hole. He made par on the par-4 hole but carded a double-bogey 6 because of the penalty.
"I just told myself that I'm even par, because in the moment as well, I wasn't sure if it was going to be two shots," Higgo said. "Just try to like frame it differently so I felt better about it, essentially. Nothing special."
The two-time PGA Tour winner was able to recover with birdies on the par-4 third hole and par-5 ninth. He made the turn at even-par 35.
Micheel, a former PGA Championship winner, finished 7-over on the round, while Brennan finished 2-over.
