Alejandro Tosti’s Caddie Walked Away Mid-Round — And Tosti’s Response Was Unexpected

 

Golf is usually associated with patience, concentration and a very controlled atmosphere.

But Alejandro Tosti's opening round at the Biltmore Championship Asheville took a rather unexpected turn when his caddie suddenly walked away from the course in the middle of the round.

Tosti was playing at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in North Carolina on Thursday when his caddie, Cliff Ellis, left after the pair had completed nine holes. According to reports, Ellis dropped the golf bag, removed his caddie bib and walked off the course.

What made the situation even more unusual was that Tosti apparently didn't immediately realize what had happened.

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

At first, Tosti thought his caddie had simply stepped away

According to Golfweek's report, Tosti believed Ellis had gone to use the bathroom near the 18th green.

He continued towards the first tee, apparently expecting his caddie to return.

Instead, Ellis had already left.

There had reportedly been tension between the two earlier in the week, including during a practice round, but the decision to leave in the middle of competition still caught Tosti by surprise.

It is certainly not the kind of situation most golfers expect to deal with halfway through a PGA Tour round.

Tosti didn't exactly sound devastated

Despite the strange circumstances, Tosti's reaction was surprisingly relaxed.

When Golfweek contacted him about what had happened, the 30-year-old Argentine responded with a joke:

“He couldn't keep up with eight pars in a row.”

The comment was accompanied by laughing emojis.

Tosti had actually started his round with a long stretch of pars. He eventually completed the day without his caddie and finished with a 1-over 72. He made par on his first 11 holes before the round became more difficult.

Whatever happened between the golfer and his caddie, Tosti clearly wasn't interested in turning the incident into a public argument.

The incident isn't completely out of character for Tosti

The story has attracted attention partly because Tosti has previously been involved in tense moments on the golf course.

He has acknowledged that controlling his emotions during competition has been a long-running challenge. In 2023, he was suspended during the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs following incidents involving players and rules officials. He has also had previous disagreements with caddies.

That history means the sudden departure of a caddie was bound to generate plenty of discussion among golf fans.

At the same time, the current incident does not establish exactly why Ellis decided to leave. Reports mention tension between the two, but the precise reason for the walk-off has not been publicly established.

Now comes the practical problem

There is one obvious question for Tosti: who will carry the bag next?

After completing the first round, he was scheduled to return Friday for the second round of the Biltmore Championship.

That means the unusual drama from Thursday wasn't simply a funny story to tell later. Tosti also had to find a replacement caddie and get back into tournament mode.

For a professional golfer, having someone beside you for every shot is part of the routine. Losing that person halfway through a round is anything but routine.

And somehow, Tosti still managed to finish the day.

The unusual moment has now become one of the most talked-about stories from the opening round of the Biltmore Championship — not because of a spectacular shot, but because someone carrying the golf bag decided he had seen enough.