PGA Championship: PGA Tour player Garrick Higgo gets two-shot penalty after being late to tee time at Aronimink Golf Club

Garrick Higgo has criticised the decision to hand him a two-shot penalty for being late to his tee time which ultimately cost him a share of the opening-round lead at the PGA Championship.

Higgo was due to tee off at 7.18am local time (12.18pm UK time) on Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club for the second men's major of the year, partnering former major champion Shaun Micheel and PGA Tour player Michael Brennan.

The South African was on the practice putting green but was not within the area defined as the starting point at his starting time, leaving Higgo penalised under Rule 5.3a of the rules of golf.

Higgo arrived within five minutes of his scheduled time, meaning he had a two-shot penalty applied to the first hole and saw his two-putt par turn into a double-bogey six. Had he been over five minutes late, he would have faced disqualification.

"I wouldn't have been late if I knew I was running late," Higgo said after his opening-round 69. "This is the first time it's happened. 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."

The 27-year-old responded by posting four birdies and just one bogey over the rest of his round, with a 25-foot par at the last leaving him within two strokes of the early clubhouse leader, before spending over 10 minutes in the scorer's hut to question the decision.