PGA Championship caddie breaks silence after being fired over late tee time

Sian JonesThu, May 21, 2026 at 4:42 PM UTC

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Garrick Higgo parted ways with his caddie Austin Gaugert -Credit:Getty Images (Getty Images)

A caddie who was abruptly fired after his golfer arrived late for a tee time at the PGA Championship has finally spoken out on the controversial incident.

South African golfer Garrick Higgo was handed a costly punishment after arriving 30 seconds late for his tee time during the opening round of the second major of the year at Aronimink last week. The delay resulted in a two-stroke penalty, ultimately contributing to him missing the cut.

In the aftermath, it was revealed on Tuesday that Higgo had dismissed his caddie Austin Gaugert over the incident, bringing back former bagman Nick Cavendish-Pell as a replacement. It comes as CBS viewers can't get over Jim Nantz's Aaron Rai comment as he won the PGA Championship

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Following his departure, Gaugert addressed the situation in an Instagram story. "As a caddie, you try to do everything you can to prepare your player for competition and I fell short of that," he said in the post.

"Garrick was understanding throughout the situation and handled it with professionalism and class. This has happened to players before and will again. Garrick handled this difficult situation with grace, and I wish him nothing but success moving forward.

"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."

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Higgo said his caddie was urging him to hurry to the tee box ahead of his 7:18am start on Thursday, but the golfer still arrived just after his allotted time.

Garrick Higgo was handed a two-stroke penalty dor being late -Credit:Raj Mehta/Getty Images

The mistake proved costly. Higgo’s opening-round 67 was effectively adjusted to a 69 due to the two-stroke penalty, a setback that ultimately contributed to his missed cut after a second-round 76 left him on four-over par, one shot outside the cut line.

Officials confirmed the penalty was applied because Higgo was still on the practice putting green, which is not recognised as part of the starting area, when his tee time elapsed.

"I wouldn't have been late if I knew I was running late," said Higgo. "I was there at 7:18 (and) 30 seconds. I was there on time, but the rule is if you're one second late, you're late. If you know me, then you know I am very casual and laid back. I thought I had time. I was obviously too casual."

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Higgo had previously enjoyed success with Gaugert, including his 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship victory, while his former bagman Nick Cavendish-Pell was on the bag for his breakthrough 2021 Palmetto Championship win.

The South African has made five cuts from 13 starts this season and is yet to record a top-25 finish, reflecting an inconsistent run of form on tour. Higgo will now hope that a change in caddie and greater discipline around tee times can help reset his campaign and return him to contention.

Meanwhile, see how much caddie Jason Timmis earns from Aaron Rai's prize money.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”