Garrick Higgo Parts Ways With Caddie Just Days After PGA Championship Penalty
May 11, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Garrick Higgo plays a shot on the ninth hole during a practice round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
May 11, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Garrick Higgo plays a shot on the ninth hole during a practice round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Garrick Higgo has officially split with his caddie, Austin Gaugert, following a highly unusual rules violation. The surprising decision comes directly after a chaotic week at the 108th PGA Championship.
The pair parted ways after Higgo received a devastating two-stroke penalty for arriving late to his opening round. The player later remarked, “I wouldn’t have been late if I knew I was running late.”
The penalty occurred on Thursday, when the pair failed to make it to their first-round tee time on time. Despite a video showing Gaugert urging him to hurry, they still missed the deadline.
The costly punishment heavily affected Higgo’s scorecard before he even struck his first shot of the tournament. The two extra strokes immediately put him at a major competitive disadvantage.
Still, Higgo responded well and opened with a one-under-par 69. However, the following day, he carded a 76 and missed the weekend cut by one stroke.
Rejoining an Old Ally
Moving forward, the South African golfer has already decided to reunite with a former familiar face. His agent confirmed that Nick Cavendish-Pell will take over the bag immediately.
The timing of this hiring is critical as the PGA Tour heads straight to Dallas. Cavendish-Pell will start working this week at the upcoming CJ Cup at TPC Craig Ranch.
The reunion appears promising, as Cavendish-Pell caddied for Higgo when he earned his first PGA Tour victory. He was part of the team that helped Higgo win the 2021 Palmetto Championship.
The decision brings an abrupt end to Higgo’s partnership with Gaugert, which began as a short three-week trial. They joined forces in early 2025 following a recommendation from fellow caddie Erik van Rooyen.
The pairing clicked quickly, leading to an impressive third-place finish at the Club Car Championship. In just their second tournament together, Gaugert helped Higgo win the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship.
There was notable success during the 2025 FedEx Cup Fall season. They recorded a top-10 finish at the Procore Championship and finished runner-up at the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship.
That run of form helped Higgo briefly climb back into the world’s top 100. Unfortunately, that successful chapter has now officially closed because of a single costly minute at Aronimink.
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Written by
Abhishek Sharma
Edited by
Sahil Prashar