The playoff between Paul Casey and Thriston Lawrence took center stage at the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club. So much so that most didn’t notice the drama unfolding on the 18th green before the final group reached there.
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Eugenio Chacarra, who was in contention to win, made headlines for a serious breach of player conduct. The Spaniard got into a heated altercation with his former caddie, Adolfo Juan Luna, on the final hole. Chacarra was paired with compatriot, Angel Ayora and Nacho Elvira on Sunday. Luna was caddying for Ayora and a footage from the event showed Chacarra and Luna got into a heated altercation. Security staff had to step in to prevent the incident from escalating further.
The Telegraph noted that Chacarra can be heard saying he had been hit during the verbal spat. No details have been released about the cause of the clash. However, Chacarra’s claim of being hit suggests there was physical contact. You can watch the clip here. While there’s no confirmation of what sparked the dispute, Chacarra and Luna reportedly have a rocky history and did not part on good terms.
Luna was on the bag when Chacarra won $4 million at LIV Golf Bangkok in 2022, and according to the Telegraph, the rift began over a disagreement about money from that event. Caddies are generally paid 10% of the winner’s share although the agreements vary from player to player.
Interestingly, when Chacarra won the tournament, Luna said they had dinner at a restaurant to celebrate the win. The pair had actually been working together for a long time. In an interview with The Caddie Network, Luna revealed that he knew Eugenio while working at the Royal Spanish Federation and called him a little brother.
Luna also worked as a journalist for Spanish golf media outlet, Tengolf. On top of the alleged financial disagreement, mounting pressure at the European Masters may have added to the tension. After 54 holes, Chacarra sat at 13-under, behind leader Paul Casey but firmly in contention. He ultimately finished two shots short of the playoff between Thriston Lawrence and Casey.
A win could have meant a great deal for the Spaniard. His LIV Golf contract expired in 2024, and Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC opted not to retain him. After losing his place on that circuit, he returned to the DP World Tour in hopes of finishing in the top 10 of the Race to Dubai rankings. After Omega European Masters, he currently sits second in the standings, meaning he has all but secured his 2027 PGA Tour card.
However, following the incident, the DP World Tour is expected to speak with both parties involved and issue a warning.
“We are aware of an incident on the practice putting green towards the conclusion of Sunday’s Omega European Masters. The confrontation involved a player, a caddie and associates of both parties but the incident was quickly dispersed by tournament officials and security personnel. All those involved will be spoken to and reminded about their future conduct,” a spokesperson for the DP World Tour told Telegraph Sport.
Player-caddie disagreement over payments isn’t anything new. Matt Kuchar reportedly underpaid his fill-in caddie, David Ortiz, after winning the Mayakoba Classic. The veteran golfer offered only $5,000 instead of a standard share of 10% from his $1.3 million winner’s paycheck.
Words later got out and Kuchar faced backlash. Eventually, Kuchar paid Ortiz an additional $45,000, bringing his total payment to $50,000. Ortiz later said there was no anger from him. There were reports of a rift between Tiger Woods and Steve Williams as well when the duo parted ways. Four years after the split, Williams said the relationship was fine.
“Time heals all wounds,” said the veteran looper. Looks like that has not been the case for Chacarra and Luna. The Spanish International is set to tee it up at this week’s Amgen Irish Open, where he could once again cross paths with Ayora and his former caddie, Luna.