Austin Gaugert Was FIRED After Costing Garrick Higgo The PGA Cut, And His Instagram Post Is A Must-Read

Holy smokes, you guys! We all know how razor-thin the margins are in professional golf, but this one is just brutal. Garrick Higgo, the 27-year-old PGA Tour pro, found himself in a nightmare scenario at last week's PGA Championship. His former caddie, Austin Gaugert, publicly took full responsibility for a wild missed tee time penalty that ultimately torpedoed Higgo's chances. And get this: Gaugert was fired on Monday. Talk about a swift, harsh consequence for a mistake!

The Minute That Cost Everything

Can you even imagine? Higgo was literally *one minute* late for his first-round tee time last Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. One. Minute. PGA officials hit him with a two-stroke penalty right out of the gate, turning what would have been an impressive opening-round 67 into a 69. That kind of mental blow, especially early in a major championship, is just crushing. He carded a 76 on Friday, and wouldn't you know it, he missed the cut by a single stinking stroke. A single stroke! That two-stroke penalty, incurred by being just 60 seconds tardy, was the entire, painful difference. Video from the broadcast even showed Gaugert frantically signaling for Higgo to hustle from the practice green to the first tee. That minute will haunt them both.

The Caddie's Public Confession

It takes serious guts to own up to a mistake, especially one with such high stakes. Gaugert didn't shy away, though, taking to Instagram on Wednesday to address the whole messy situation head-on. "I want to say something about the incident with Garrick Higgo being late to the tee on Thursday at the PGA Championship," Gaugert wrote. "As a caddie, you try to do everything you can to prepare your player for competition and I fell short of that." He went on to call Higgo "understanding throughout the situation and handled it with professionalism and class." Gaugert added, "This has happened to players before and will again. Garrick handled a difficult situation with grace, and I wish him nothing but success moving forward." Seriously, you gotta respect that honesty and the way he tried to protect his former boss, even after getting the boot. He even called Higgo "a better friend to me than just a boss." Bittersweet, for sure.

What's Next for Higgo?

So, where does a talent like Higgo go from here after such a tough break? He's a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and boasts three victories on the DP World Tour, so he's got the grit to bounce back. This week, he's heading to Texas for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson with a new caddie: Nick Cavendish-Pell. Fun fact: Cavendish-Pell was actually on Higgo's bag back in 2021 when Higgo snagged his very first PGA Tour title at the Palmetto Championship. You know Higgo's gotta be laser-focused on putting this frustrating incident, this one-minute disaster, behind him. He needs to find his rhythm and show everyone what he's truly made of on the course. Here's hoping this reunited partnership can ignite something truly special! We'll be watching!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.