Austin Gaugert Got Fired For A One Minute Mistake At The PGA Championship. Now He's Already Back!

Hold up, Seattle, you are NOT going to believe this one. Remember that wild story from the PGA Championship two weeks ago? The one where a caddie got canned for being a whole MINUTE late to the tee? Yeah, Austin Gaugert. The guy who caused Garrick Higgo a two-stroke penalty that ultimately cost him the cut at a major? Well, get this: Gaugert is already back on a bag, making headlines again, and nobody saw this coming!

The PGA Championship Firing: A Minute Too Late, A Job Too Lost

Man, that situation at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia was brutal. Garrick Higgo, looking to make a statement at the PGA Championship, gets hit with a two-stroke penalty right out of the gate because his caddie, Austin Gaugert, was one minute late for their first-round tee time. A minute! Think about that, 12s. A single minute completely changed the trajectory of Higgo’s tournament. He ended up missing the 36-hole cut by just one shot. One shot! You can't make this stuff up. Naturally, the fallout was swift. Higgo, probably seething even though he handled it with class, fired Gaugert the following Monday and brought back his former caddie, Nick Cavendish-Pell. Gaugert, to his credit, owned it. He took to Instagram, saying exactly what a true professional should: "As a caddie, you try to do everything you can to prepare your player for competition and I fell short of that." He even gave props to Higgo, adding, "Garrick was understanding throughout the situation and handled it with professionalism and class. 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." You gotta respect that, even if the mistake was huge.

A Shocking Comeback? Gaugert Back On The Bag!

But here's where the story gets even crazier. Austin Gaugert isn't sulking. The man has moved on, and he's back in action this week! He's caddying for Dylan Wu at the PGA Tour's Charles Schwab Challenge down in Fort Worth, Texas. Talk about a quick turnaround! After a snafu that cost his player a major tournament cut, Gaugert is right back in the mix, walking the fairways at Colonial Country Club. This is a big moment for both Gaugert and Wu. Wu has been struggling, missing the cut in his last five previous events. So, getting a caddie with this kind of pressure on his shoulders, fresh off a very public dismissal, is a real test. Wu opened with an even-par 70 on Thursday, which isn't setting the world on fire, but it's a solid start given the circumstances for both guys. Can Gaugert help Wu turn his season around? Will this high-stakes second chance be a redemption story for Gaugert, or will the pressure get to them? We'll be glued to the scoreboard this weekend to find out. This is why we watch, folks!

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