Garrick Higgo Bio
Garrick Higgo is a South African professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. Born on 12 May 1999 in Johannesburg, Higgo turned professional in 2019 and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young players from South Africa. He has captured multiple victories on each of the three tours and earned a reputation for fast starts, strong final-round play, and a calm demeanor under pressure.
Higgo is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and a three-time winner on the European Tour. His ascent from the Sunshine Tour to the PGA Tour in just two seasons made him one of the fastest-rising South African players of his generation, and he continues to represent his country on the game’s biggest stages.
Early Life and Background
Garrick Higgo was born on 12 May 1999 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Susan and Michael Higgo. He grew up with two siblings, Calista and Michael. His father introduced him to golf at a young age, and the two played the game socially together, helping spark an early passion that shaped Higgo’s future.
Tragedy struck the family in 2008, when Higgo was nine years old, and his father died in a car crash. The loss deeply affected his outlook, and Higgo later credited golf with giving him focus and direction during a difficult period. He has often spoken about carrying his father’s memory with him as he competes.
After the accident, Higgo continued to develop his game in the Western Cape. He attended Paul Roos Gymnasium in the town of Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s most respected schools, where he balanced academics with competitive golf. He later enrolled at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 2017, playing college golf for two seasons before deciding to turn professional in 2019.
Path to Professional Golf
Higgo’s route to the professional ranks ran through the Sunshine Tour, the traditional proving ground for South African players. In his first full season on tour in 2019, he won twice, capturing the Sun City Challenge and the season-ending Tour Championship. He also finished as runner-up at the Cape Town Open, a Challenge Tour co-sanctioned event, and ended the 2019–20 Sunshine Tour season ranked sixth on the Order of Merit.
Those results earned Higgo a place at the European Tour Qualifying School, where he made the cut and secured status on the Challenge Tour for the 2020 season. He did not need long to make an impact at the next level. In September 2020, at the Open de Portugal, a dual-ranking event on the European and Challenge tours, he fired a bogey-free final round of 65 to win by one stroke and earn a one-year exemption on the European Tour.
The Sunshine Tour recognized his breakthrough by naming him the Rookie of the Year for the 2019–20 season, confirming his status as one of the top emerging players in South African golf.
Garrick Higgo Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Higgo opened his professional career with the Sunshine Tour in 2019 and wasted little time collecting trophies. His victories at the Sun City Challenge and the Tour Championship demonstrated a mature short game and a comfort in contention that belied his age. He followed those wins with strong performances on the Challenge Tour, including a runner-up finish at the Cape Town Open.
By the end of 2020, Higgo held membership on the European Tour, had won a co-sanctioned event, and was ranked among the top rookies in South African golf history. The Sunshine Tour’s Rookie of the Year award for 2019–20 capped a remarkable introduction to the professional game.
European Tour Breakthrough (2020–2021)
Higgo’s first European Tour title came at the 2020 Open de Portugal, where his closing 65 sealed a one-shot victory and gave him a full exemption on the European Tour. The win announced his arrival on the global stage and provided a springboard for an even more impressive 2021 campaign.
In April 2021, he won the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open with a tournament total of 255, beating the previous course record held by Andy Sullivan. Two weeks later, Higgo completed a Canary Islands double by winning the Canary Islands Championship, finishing at 27 under par and winning by six strokes ahead of Maverick Antcliff. The dominant margin and the rapid back-to-back success marked him as one of the hottest players in the world during the spring of 2021.
PGA Tour Era (2021–Present)
Higgo made his PGA Tour debut in impressive fashion. In June 2021, playing in only his second start on the tour, he won the Palmetto Championship in South Carolina by one stroke. The victory earned him more than $1,300,000 in prize money and secured PGA Tour membership through the end of the 2023 season. At the time, it made him one of the youngest South African winners on the PGA Tour in the modern era.
Higgo added a second PGA Tour title in 2025 at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic, becoming a two-time winner on the tour. He continues to split his schedule between the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Sunshine Tour, maintaining a global playing presence.
Driving Style and Strengths
Higgo is known for a smooth, repeatable swing and a calm temperament that serves him well in final-round pressure situations. His ball-striking has been his primary strength, and he has shown a particular comfort on resort and coastal courses, where his wedge play and short game have produced low scores. He often speaks with South African golf legend Gary Player, his longtime mentor, to discuss strategy and course management.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Higgo’s career are his 2021 Canary Islands double, the Palmetto Championship victory in only his second PGA Tour start, and his 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship win. His bogey-free 65 to win the 2020 Open de Portugal also stands out as one of the defining closing rounds of his early career. He has also represented South Africa in team amateur competitions during his development years.
Garrick Higgo Career Wins
Garrick Higgo has compiled eight professional wins across the Sunshine Tour, the Big Easy Tour, the Challenge Tour, the European Tour, and the PGA Tour. His three European Tour titles, two PGA Tour victories, and two Sunshine Tour wins highlight his versatility on a wide range of courses and competitive formats.
European Tour and PGA Tour Highlights
Higgo’s first European Tour win came at the 2020 Open de Portugal, where he closed with a bogey-free 65. He added the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open and the Canary Islands Championship in the spring of 2021, completing a dominant two-week stretch. His first PGA Tour victory arrived at the 2021 Palmetto Championship in just his second start on tour, and his second PGA Tour title came at the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship.
Other Wins and Performances
On the Sunshine Tour, Higgo won the Sun City Challenge and the Tour Championship during the 2019 season. He has also recorded a win on the Big Easy Tour and a victory on the Challenge Tour. He was named the Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year for the 2019–20 season in recognition of his rapid rise.
Garrick Higgo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Higgo was raised by his parents, Susan and Michael Higgo, in Johannesburg before relocating to the Western Cape. His father, Michael, introduced him to golf at a young age and was his earliest playing partner. The loss of his father in 2008, when Higgo was nine, was a defining moment in his life and career, and he has often spoken about honoring his father’s memory through his play. He has two siblings, Calista and Michael.
Personal Life
Garrick Higgo lives in the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape province of South Africa, the same community where he attended Paul Roos Gymnasium. He maintains close ties to South Africa even as he competes internationally, and he has cited his longtime mentor, South African golf legend Gary Player, as a key influence on his development and approach to the game.
2025 Season Performance
Garrick Higgo began 2025 by adding a second PGA Tour title at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic, reinforcing his standing as a multi-time winner on the tour. The victory signaled that his game remained sharp after several seasons of competing at the highest level, and it provided important momentum heading into the heart of the PGA Tour schedule.
Throughout 2025, Higgo has continued to balance his time between the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and select Sunshine Tour events. His comfort on resort-style courses has translated into consistent finishes, and his partnership with his coaching team has produced measurable improvements in approach play and scrambling.
Looking ahead, Higgo remains focused on contending in major championships and on the European Tour while pursuing further PGA Tour success. With a two-time PGA Tour winner’s resume at a young age, he is widely viewed as one of the leading South African players of his generation and a strong candidate for additional titles in the seasons to come.