It was a morning that started like any other major championship day—until it didn't. Garrick Higgo, the laid-back South African golfer known for his cool demeanor, found himself in a nightmare scenario before he even hit his first shot at the PGA Championship on Thursday.

The 27-year-old arrived at Aronimink Golf Club well before sunrise, with all the right intentions. He visited his physiotherapist, hit the gym, and warmed up on the range. But when his name was called to the first tee at 7:18 a.m., Higgo was still on the practice putting green, putter in hand, about 15 feet above the elevated tee box.

"From Memphis, Tenn., the 2003 PGA Championship winner, Shaun Micheel," the starter announced—and Higgo's costly mistake was already in motion.

His caddie, Austin Gaugert, yelled frantically from below: "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon." But by the time Higgo ambled down the hill—sweater draped over his large frame, broomstick putter still in hand—the clock had struck 7:19 a.m. One minute late. Two-shot penalty. Rule 5.3a had spoken.

It's a brutal way to start any round, let alone a major championship. For Higgo, this was his eighth major appearance, and he was grouped with Micheel (now 57) and Michael Brennan, a former Wake Forest standout. The threesome was the fourth off the first tee that morning, and Higgo's tardiness meant he began the tournament two strokes behind the field before he even took a swing.

For a golfer who relies on his steady, unflappable nature, it was a bizarre and costly lapse in an otherwise routine morning. And for fans watching at home, it was a reminder that even the most chill pros can have mornings that go sideways—sometimes before the first tee shot is even struck.