Garrick Higo, who faced a two-stroke penalty for being late to the tee for the opening round of last week’s PGA Championship, is reportedly no longer working with his caddy. According to Golfweek, he has now teamed up with Nick Cavendish Pell, whom he has collaborated with before, especially looking forward to their partnership at the upcoming CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Higo missed the cut by just one stroke, making the penalty quite significant. During the tournament, he started off slow with a round of 1-under 69, followed by a 76 on the second day.
In an ESPN broadcast, Higo expressed his frustration: “We were on time, but we were late. So, the rules are if you’re one second late, you’re late. I was obviously on time, but technically late. That’s a two-stroke penalty, and from there you have five minutes before you’re disqualified. It’s disappointing, as I usually perform well.” He added, “It was cold, and I was just trying to keep warm after practice. I think it shows my mental strength that I kept fighting. It didn’t affect my swing or my putter.”
He also mentioned feeling a bit lost, saying, “The caddy was on the tee box. I wasn’t wearing a watch, and I didn’t have my cell phone, so I was kind of in my own head. But it is what it is. I don’t know what else to do.” Higo’s previous caddy, Austin Gogart, was with him when he won the 2025 Corrales Punta Cana Championship, while Cavendish Pell caddied during Higo’s first win at the 2021 Palmetto Championship.
This season, the South African golfer has made five of 13 cuts but hasn’t yet cracked the top 25 on the leaderboard. By switching caddies and hopefully managing his time better, Higo is optimistic about regaining form.
