Garrick Higgo splits from caddie after costly two-stroke penalty for missing PGA Championship tee time: report

Garrick Higgo, who was penalized 2 strokes for missing his opening-round tee clip of nan PGA Championship past week, has reportedly divided from his caddie.

Higgo divided pinch Austin Gaugert and hired Nick Cavendish-Pell, according to Golfweek. Higgo has worked pinch Cavendish-Pell successful nan past and will reunite pinch him for nan CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

The 2 strokes Higgo was penalized were incredibly costly, arsenic he missed nan trim by 1 stroke. The 29-year-old changeable a 1-under 69 connected Thursday aft being late, but past changeable a 76 connected Friday.

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Garrick Higgo of South Africa walks nan 16th spread pinch caddie Austin Gaugert during nan first information of nan PGA Championship astatine Aronimink Golf Club successful Newtown, Pennsylvania, connected May 14, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Higgo said during an ESPN broadcast that he was "on time, but late."

"So nan rules, if you're 1 2nd late, you're late. I was evidently location connected time, but late, and that's a two-shot penalty, and you person 5 minutes from past until you are DQ'd," Higgo began. "Obviously, it's unfortunate. I usually trim it fine. It was acold this morning, I was trying to enactment arsenic lukewarm arsenic imaginable coming disconnected from nan range. Yeah, I deliberation it shows a batch of intelligence spot nan measurement I conscionable kept fighting, and it wasn't going to impact my plaything aliases my putter."

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Garrick Higgo of South Africa walks disconnected of nan 2nd tee during nan 2nd information of nan Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2026 astatine TPC Louisiana connected April 24, 2026 successful Avondale, Louisiana. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

"It is what it is. My caddie was connected nan tee box. I didn't person my watch connected me. I didn't person my phone. I'm already successful nan clouds a small arsenic it is. It conscionable is what it is. I don't cognize what other to do."

Gaugert was Higgo’s caddie erstwhile he won nan 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship. Cavendish-Pell caddied for Higgo erstwhile he won nan 2021 Palmetto Championship, his first tourney win.

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Garrick Higgo of South Africa reacts connected nan 15th spread during nan first information of nan RBC Heritage 2026 astatine Harbour Town Golf Links connected April 16, 2026 successful Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The South African golfer has made 5 of 13 cuts this season, and has not yet cracked nan apical 25 connected nan leaderboard. Higgo hopes that switching caddies and showing up connected clip tin thief him get backmost connected track.

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