Garrick Higgo earned his PGA Tour card in 2021. And since then, the South African prod has only risen in the ranks. His 2025 season might have been one of his best career stretches. Battling a hip injury, Higgo secured the Corales Puntacana Championship earlier this year. Moreover, he edged painfully close to another win at the Sanderson Farms Championship before finishing as runner-up. Behind the veils, however, Higgo’s parents have always supported his golfing career, whether through memory or through encouragement.

Higgo was born to Michael and Susan Higgo on May 12, 1999. Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, his father introduced him to golf early on in his childhood. Standing 6-foot-10 with a sturdy stature, Michael Higgo was a talented rugby and cricket player. Besides the brawling sports, Michael also enjoyed golf, becoming Higgo’s first-ever golf coach.

“My dad loved the game. He taught me how to play when I was a child growing up in South Africa,” Higgo told Golf Digest. Higgo’s world turned upside down when his father passed away in a car accident. The family, with Higgo’s older brother Michael and younger sister Calista, was making a 13-hour trip to Johannesburg to visit their newborn cousin. Being only 9 back then, the experience left an indelible mark on Higgo’s life.

But his mother, Susan, never let him feel his father’s absence. Shortly after the accident, the family moved to Stellenbosch, where Higgo’s athletic endeavors bloomed. However, after breaking his elbow at 13 during a rugby tackle, Higgo had to step back from it. Providing undivided attention to golf, that’s when his love for the sport deepened. And Susan was there throughout his journey, providing unwavering support and belief in her son.

While he had to sit out golf for a year, he still became the No. 1 amateur in South Africa at just 17. Showcasing early signs of success, the prodigy secured a spot at the University of Nevada, owing to his exceptional performance at the US Junior, where he lost to Matthew Wolff in the semifinals.

But college wasn’t really his jam; he dropped out of UNLV mid-term to play in the developmental tour, Big Easy. In his second event, he won, and with that began his journey to the Tour’s top ranks. Right now, he is chasing his second title at the World Wide Technology Championship, shooting a career-best 11-under 66.

However, beyond his parents, Higgo has other figures in his life pushing him forward.

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Garrick Higgo’s support system is built with love and a steady presence

After losing his father, Higgo began training in golf under his swing coach, Cliff Barnard. Through him, the South African prodigy built one of his strongest relationships in the pro circuit. Barnard introduced Garrick Higgo to Gary Player, and the duo quickly bonded over their shared trauma of losing a parent.

Gary Player lost his mother to cancer when he was just 8 years old. Finding common ground and seeing potential in Higgo, Player became his mentor, providing emotional guidance and practical advice about golf and life. They built a “special bond,” as Higgo put it. With his unflinching honesty and unapologetic advice, Higgo soon began topping leaderboards and state ranks. He became the No. 1 amateur under his guidance.

Right before the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills, where Higgo left the crowds in awe of his performance, Player had given him a tour of every hole. The veteran had teed off before in the same course in the 1972 PGA Championship.

“We developed a special bond. We call each other and talk about everything. Before the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills, where Gary won the 1972 PGA Championship, he talked me through every hole. Gary tells it like it is. If he notices parts of my game that need improvement, he’ll let me know,” Higgo told Golf Digest about his relationship with Player.

Under Player’s mentorship, he quickly climbed the ranks—from the Big Easy Tour to the Challenge Tour and onto the European Tour, earning multiple victories. His 2021 Palmetto Championship win on the PGA Tour marked his international breakthrough, witnessed by his mother, Susan. This was the first time in 2 years that his mother watched him compete. And it’s safe to say that the visit paid off well.

During his press conference, Player called him to celebrate the victory. He told Garrick Higgo, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about anybody winning a golf tournament.” Apparently, it was a big moment for everyone. Joining in the emotional scene, his girlfriend, Chandre Janeke, was also present.

The couple studied at the same university. But the lovebirds much earlier being from the same town. Building a lasting relationship based on mutual understanding and unwavering support, Janeke continues to be one of Higgo’s biggest fans. But the influence and support of his parents are irreplaceable and hold a special place in his heart.