Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, May 1, 2026.– They say that when things are meant to happen, they eventually will. That’s the story of how Santiago Tobón came into the life of Gaby López to become her caddie. The Colombian says their connection is so strong it feels like they may have known each other in a past life.
Tobón was a professional golfer who spent several years on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica. Many years ago, after watching an interview with López, something she said resonated deeply with him. He decided to send her a message on Instagram—but never got a reply. At the time, Santiago was still an active player.
“Last year we started working together—six years after I sent that message, which she had never seen. That’s how it all began. I don’t know if it’s destiny, life, or whatever you want to call it, but it brought us together as a team. Today she’s ranked 27th in the world—we started last year around 75th—and we’ve been climbing ever since. We already have nine top-10 finishes together,” Tobón explained. He transitioned into caddying after an invitation from Rafael Campos, embracing a new path even while still competing.
He officially began working with López in January last year, a season that turned out to be one of her most consistent, with seven top-10 finishes, including a third-place result at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
Tobón has worked with players such as fellow Colombian Camilo Villegas and Mexico’s Álvaro Ortiz. But he says being López’s caddie is a different experience.
“You might not believe it, but what I work on with Gaby, I hadn’t done with other players—even men. She works extremely hard, and the difference shows in many areas. It’s about paying attention to so many details. With men, they might take more responsibility in certain decisions or shots, but here it’s much more collaborative. We also spend more time together because of the schedule—26 or 27 tournaments a year. With men, it’s more of a friendship; here it’s more professional. But the connection with Gaby has been great from the start—it really feels like we’ve known each other before, and that helps a lot,” he shared.
Santiago has learned to read López on the course, understanding that his role depends on knowing when to speak and when to stay silent.
“It’s a very fine line between talking and not talking. You can’t be out there like a chatterbox, saying ‘calm down’ or acting like a cheerleader. You have to read the moment—the player’s eyes, mindset, body language. That’s where experience comes in, knowing what to say at the right time.”
And although he’s the one walking all 18 holes with her each round, Tobón emphasizes the importance of López’s entire team.
“It’s not just Gaby and me as her caddie. Behind us there’s a great team—a coach, a mental coach, a fitness trainer, a putting coach. There’s a lot of preparation and professionalism behind all of this.”
