Korn Ferry Tour pro hit with two-shot penalty for arriving eight (!) seconds late to tee time
Korn Ferry Tour pro Ian Gilligan was docked two shots for turning up eight seconds late to his round one tee time.
Korn Ferry Tour pro Ian Gilligan was hit with a rare penalty at this week's BMW Charity Pro-Am, according to a report.
The 23-year-old turned up eight seconds late for his 6:56am ET tee time.
He was subsequently penalised two strokes, turning what would have been a par on the opening hole at the Country Club of Spartanburg in South Carolina into a double bogey.
Golfweek reported that Gilligan blamed being late on having to wait more than 10 minutes for a tournament shuttle to arrive which was needed to get from the practice area to the first tee box.
Yet Gilligan accepted full responsibility, telling the publication: "I should've kept everything in my control. It's a learning experience."
Whilst the young pro shouldered the blame, he did have a minor grumble as he believed there weren't enough shuttles taking players from the practice facility to the first tee.
"If I ever have to take shuttle again, I will give myself more time," he said.
In the end, Gilligan signed for a one-over 71 and is now in a battle to make the cut.
His card contained five birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey.
It comes three weeks after South Africa's Garrick Higgo hit the headlines for doing the same thing at the second men's major of the year.
Higgo received a two-shot penalty during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania for arriving 30 seconds late to his tee time.
The rare penalty cost the 27-year-old significantly.
Not only did he miss out on a share of the lead after 18 holes, he missed the cut by one stroke.
Days later, Higgo sacked his caddie and replaced him with a good friend.
His looper, Austin Gaugert, took a dignified approach and has already found a new employer.
Higgo was seen arguing his case with tournament officials in scoring but the penalty stood.
He appeared to make matters worse with a bizarre explanation.
"I was there on time, but late," Higgo said. "If you think about it, I was there on time."
Gilligan acknowledged the Higgo incident.
"It boggled my mind," he said. "It seemed so careless."
What do the rules say?
Higgo and Gilligan were punished under Rule 5.3a which states:
- The player must be ready to play at the starting time and starting point set by the committee
- A starting time set by the committee is treated as an exact time
Players must be inside the starting point, which is defined as:
- The rope, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and/or blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines on the 10th hole
The ruling says the penalty for breaching 5.3a is disqualification, although there are three exceptions including:
- Player arrives at starting point, ready to play, no more than five minutes late
H punished under Rule 5.3a which states:
- The player must be ready to play at the starting time and starting point set by the committee
- A starting time set by the committee is treated as an exact time - for example, 9am means 9:00:00 am, not any time until 9:01am.
Higgo being on the putting green meant he was outside of the starting point, which is defined as:
- The rope, gallery stakes, green bike fencing and/or blue stakes, blue dots or blue lines on the 10th hole
The ruling says the penalty for breaching 5.3a is disqualification, although there are three exceptions including:
- Player arrives at starting point, ready to play, no more than five minutes late.
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Ben Smith joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
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