PGA Championship golfer hit with rare two-stroke penalty after showing up late to tee time

As Higgo walked up to the tee, an official informed him that he was late and would receive the penalty. Higgo appeared to be on the same page as the official, as he didn't appear to be surprised by the penalty.

Higgo was nearby in the practice putting green at 7:18 a.m., according to PGA of America, but the putting green is not considered part of the starting point area where players are required to be at their scheduled tee time.

Higgo put together an otherwise unblemished front nine, birdying on holes No. 3 and No. 9, but the double bogey at No. 1 resulting from the penalty left him at even par. He jumped above par with a bogey at No. 10, but the solid start allowed him to stay within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard as the day got underway.

The 27-year-old has never finished higher than 47th in a major, and last year's PGA Championship is his only other major start over the last four years.

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PGA Tour rules for tee times

PGA of America's rules require players to be near the "rope, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and/or blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines" at their scheduled tee time. That did not include the putting green at Aronimink.

The rules also state that a player is subject to disqualification if he is more than five minutes late to his tee time. Higgo was allowed to stay in the PGA Championship at just one minute late, but it's possible the two-stroke penalty turns out to be the difference between making and missing the cut.