Alejandro Tosti went to the 1st tee convinced his caddie was making a stop in the toilet. But Cliff Ellis was not coming back. He had left the bag, taken off the bib and decided to walk out in the middle of the first round of the Biltmore Championship Asheville, a PGA Tour event held this week at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, in North Carolina.
The incident occurred on Thursday at the 18th hole, the Argentine’s ninth of the day, after starting on the 10th. According to information from Golfweek, based on a source at the tournament, Tosti interpreted Ellis’s absence as a visit to the toilet just before the green. The split took him by surprise. And that is what the Argentine says.
The 30-year-old was playing alongside Luke Clanton and Spencer Oxendine and was level par when he found himself without his colleague. He ended up carding a 72 strokes, one over par. Ellis, moreover, was not new to his setup: he had carried his bag for him intermittently in recent years.
When Golfweek contacted Tosti by message to find out what happened, the Argentine replied ironically: “He couldn’t keep up with eight consecutive pars”. He added three laughing emojis, but did not offer an explanation for what triggered the walk-off.
The relationship had already shown signs of strain. Both had had disagreements during the practice round on Tuesday. However, it remains unclear what exactly happened on Thursday for Ellis to decide to leave during competition. Published reports describe a voluntary departure by the caddie, not a dismissal ordered by Tosti.
The Argentine has a history of on-course conflicts. In 2023 Tosti reportedly directed repeated insults at his then-caddie, Ray Yoel, during a Korn Ferry Tour event.
Also in 2023, the tour removed him from the Albertsons Boise Open after the first round for a disciplinary matter. He had posted 67 strokes. The official statement made clear that both the details of the case and any measures taken would be handled internally. At the time it was reported he had been suspended due to other incidents during the season.
In the case of Asheville, Ellis’s account is still pending. It has also not been confirmed who will replace him for the second round.
