Alejandro Tosti’s caddie abruptly dropped his golf bag, removed his bib and walked off the course in the middle of a PGA Tour round — and the dispute was apparently about much more than one bad moment.
Caddie Cliff Ellis quit during the first round of the 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville after months of disagreements with Tosti over money, communication and Tosti’s behavior on the course.
According to Ellis, the final argument involved something seemingly minor: an umbrella that he had put in Tosti’s golf bag because there was a chance of rain. Ellis said Tosti objected to carrying the extra weight and repeatedly insulted him. Tosti confirmed that they argued about the umbrella but disputed Ellis’ account of the language he used.
Ellis told reporter Ryan French of Monday Q that the confrontation was simply the last straw after a difficult working relationship. [Monday Q]
What Happened To Alejandro Tosti’s Caddie?
The unusual scene unfolded on September 17 during the opening round of the Biltmore Championship at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove near Asheville, North Carolina.
Tosti began his round on the 10th hole with Ellis carrying his bag. He made eight consecutive pars and arrived at the par-4 18th — his ninth hole of the day — at even par.
Video later shown by Golf Channel captured Tosti and Ellis apparently having a tense conversation in the fairway. Ellis eventually put down the golf bag, took off his caddie bib and walked away while Tosti continued toward the green. [Golf Channel]
That was not a temporary break. Ellis had quit.
Why Did Cliff Ellis Quit As Alejandro Tosti’s Caddie?
Ellis said his departure was the culmination of several months of tension involving his compensation, Tosti’s expectations of him and repeated arguments during tournaments.
The immediate confrontation occurred after Tosti hit his approach shot on the 18th hole. Ellis went forward to replace a divot and, when he returned, Tosti noticed that Ellis had packed an umbrella in the bag.
Tosti told Monday Q that he prides himself on carrying an extremely light bag and objected to the approximately three pounds added by the umbrella.
Ellis said Tosti then repeatedly called him a “dumbass.” Tosti disputed that claim, telling Monday Q that it was not a word he uses, although he acknowledged that the conversation about the umbrella became contentious. [Monday Q]
Ellis said he threatened several times to put the bag down as they walked toward the green. When the situation did not improve, he followed through and quit.
Was The Umbrella Really The Reason Tosti’s Caddie Quit?
The umbrella appears to have been the immediate trigger, but Ellis described it as the final incident in a much longer breakdown in the relationship.
He told Monday Q that disagreements had occurred repeatedly since he began working with Tosti in May 2026.
Ellis said Tosti sometimes gave him specific instructions about what he should or should not do and then became angry when Ellis followed those instructions in circumstances where Tosti wanted something different.
At the Charles Schwab Challenge, for example, Ellis said Tosti told him not to do anything unless specifically instructed. Ellis said Tosti later became angry when he did not immediately pull the flag on one hole. [Monday Q]
Ellis also described tense episodes at other tournaments, making the Asheville confrontation less of an isolated argument and more of a breaking point.
What Happened Before The Caddie Walked Off?
According to Ellis, tension began again even before Tosti teed off at the Biltmore Championship.
Ellis said he placed Tosti’s golf bag on the practice range in approximately the same area where other caddies had positioned their players’ bags.
He said Tosti complained that the bag was too far away and moved it closer himself.
Later in the round, Ellis said he tried to encourage Tosti to forget previous shots and stay focused on the next one — something Ellis said they had previously discussed.
Ellis said Tosti responded on the following tee by warning him not to do it again or he would become angry.
Tosti gave Monday Q a different version of that exchange. He said Ellis had been excited after Tosti made a difficult par putt and gave him a fist bump, and that their conversation was related to Tosti trying to control his emotions rather than escalate them. [Monday Q]
The disagreement over the umbrella followed soon afterward.
Did Alejandro Tosti And His Caddie Have A Money Dispute?
Money was another source of friction between the pair, although Tosti and Ellis disagree about important details.
Ellis began working for Tosti at the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson under an unusual compensation arrangement: he would receive no guaranteed weekly salary and instead earn 6 percent of Tosti’s tournament prize money.
Monday Q reported that several PGA Tour caddies described that arrangement as highly unusual for a full-time Tour caddie.
A more conventional PGA Tour arrangement commonly includes a weekly payment of roughly $2,000 plus a percentage of the golfer’s winnings. Monday Q reported typical percentages around 5 percent for a made cut, 7 percent for a top-10 result and 10 percent for a victory, although individual agreements vary. [Monday Q]
Tosti said the 6-percent arrangement without a weekly salary had actually been Ellis’ idea. He provided the outlet with a text exchange in which Ellis agreed to continue under the arrangement.
Did Alejandro Tosti Pay His Caddie?
Yes, but there was a disagreement over how quickly one payment arrived.
Tosti and Ellis worked together for eight PGA Tour events plus final-stage U.S. Open qualifying. They made only one PGA Tour cut together, at the Canadian Open, where Tosti earned $40,670.
Ellis said he did not receive his share of that money until more than a month later.
Tosti disputed the suggestion that he deliberately withheld payment. He said he was waiting for Ellis to provide a W-9 tax form and supplied Monday Q with documentation showing an invoice dated July 7 and a payment transaction dated July 20.
Tosti also paid Ellis an additional $600 representing 6 percent of the $10,000 stipend Tosti received for qualifying for the U.S. Open. [Monday Q]
The financial issue therefore appears to have contributed to tension, but neither side claims that Ellis walked off specifically because Tosti had simply refused to pay him.
What Happened At The Rocket Classic?
Ellis identified Tosti’s behavior during the Rocket Classic in Detroit as another major source of strain.
Tosti shot an opening-round 82, including a 45 on the back nine.
Ellis told Monday Q that Tosti repeatedly lost his temper, slammed clubs into the ground and struck penalty-area stakes.
Ellis also said Tosti threw a club toward the golf bag and that it landed near him. Importantly, Ellis specifically said he did not believe Tosti was attempting to throw the club at him.
Tosti confirmed that PGA Tour officials spoke with him after the round. According to Monday Q, Ellis said a Tour official warned Tosti about the possibility of suspension if there were additional incidents. [Monday Q]
What Did Alejandro Tosti Initially Say About His Caddie Leaving?
Tosti initially responded to the bizarre situation with a joke.
When Golfweek contacted him after the first round, Tosti wrote:
“He couldn’t keep up with eight pars in a row.”
He added laughing emojis to the message. Tosti had indeed begun his round with eight consecutive pars before the confrontation on the 18th hole. [Golf Channel]
The much more detailed explanation from both Ellis and Tosti did not emerge until Monday Q published interviews with both men several days later.
Did Tosti Know His Caddie Had Quit?
The departure apparently created some initial confusion.
Early reports said Tosti initially thought Ellis may simply have gone to use the bathroom.
But video from the incident shows a conversation between the two men before Ellis sets down the bag and removes his bib. Ellis later told Monday Q that he explicitly said he was finished. [GOLF] [Monday Q]
Who Carried Alejandro Tosti’s Bag After His Caddie Quit?
Tosti turned to the gallery for emergency help.
After Ellis walked away, a spectator stepped in and carried Tosti’s bag for the remainder of the first round. Golf Channel later aired footage of the unusual mid-round caddie change. [GOLF]
Tosti ultimately shot a 1-over-par 72.
Can A PGA Tour Golfer Change Caddies During A Round?
Yes.
The Rules of Golf allow a player to change caddies during a round as long as the player does not have more than one caddie at the same time and is not temporarily switching caddies simply to obtain advice from another person.
That meant Tosti was permitted to have a spectator take over after Ellis quit.
Rule 10.3 states that a player may change caddies during a round while limiting the golfer to one caddie at any one time. [USGA]
Who Became Alejandro Tosti’s New Caddie?
Tosti had a different caddie when he returned for the second round.
Patrick Talledo was listed as Tosti’s caddie on the PGA Tour’s updated caddie information for Friday’s round. [Golfweek via Yahoo Sports]
Tosti shot even par in the second round and missed the tournament cut by four strokes. [Golf Monthly]
Did The PGA Tour Punish Tosti Or Ellis?
According to both men, neither received disciplinary action from the PGA Tour over the Biltmore incident.
Ellis told Monday Q that PGA Tour senior vice president of tournament administration Andy Levinson contacted him after the walk-off. Ellis said the conversation included both questions about what happened and criticism of his decision to discuss the incident publicly.
Monday Q reported that both Tosti and Ellis said no disciplinary action had resulted from the incident as of September 23. [Monday Q]
Has Alejandro Tosti Had Caddie Problems Before?
Tosti has developed a reputation as an intense competitor and has changed caddies multiple times during his professional career.
Golf Channel noted that he has previously had disagreements involving caddies, competitors and tournament personnel. [Golf Channel]
Tosti was also suspended during the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour playoffs following disciplinary issues. The PGA Tour publicly characterized the matter as a disciplinary situation but did not disclose all details of the punishment. [Monday Q]
The history is relevant to understanding why Ellis described the Asheville confrontation as part of a pattern rather than simply an argument about an umbrella. However, several details in Ellis’ account are disputed by Tosti and should be treated as allegations from one side of the employment dispute rather than independently established facts.
How Long Had Cliff Ellis Been Tosti’s Caddie?
Ellis began working with Tosti in May 2026 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson after the two were connected through a mutual acquaintance.
They worked together at eight PGA Tour events as well as the 36-hole final stage of U.S. Open qualifying.
The partnership lasted approximately four months before ending dramatically during the Biltmore Championship. [Monday Q]
Why Did Alejandro Tosti’s Caddie Quit?
The simplest explanation is that Ellis says he had reached his limit.
The dispute over the umbrella on the 18th fairway was the moment when he walked away, but Ellis described several underlying problems: an unusual compensation arrangement, a disagreement over the timing of a payment, repeated arguments about his caddie duties and what he considered disrespectful treatment during tournaments.
Tosti disputes portions of Ellis’ account. He says the unusual pay arrangement originated with Ellis, denies intentionally delaying the Canadian Open payment and denies using the specific insult Ellis says was directed at him during the final confrontation.
Both men do agree on the most important basic fact: they argued about the umbrella on the 18th hole, the exchange became contentious, and Ellis decided to end their working relationship immediately rather than wait until the round was finished. [Monday Q]
Alejandro Tosti Caddie FAQ
Who was Alejandro Tosti’s caddie?
Cliff Ellis was carrying Tosti’s bag when he quit during the first round of the 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville.
Why did Cliff Ellis quit?
Ellis said months of tension over money, communication and Tosti’s on-course treatment of him culminated in an argument over an umbrella in Tosti’s golf bag. Tosti disputes some of Ellis’ allegations but confirms that the umbrella discussion was contentious. [Monday Q]
Did Tosti’s caddie quit in the middle of a round?
Yes. Ellis put down the bag and removed his bib during the 18th hole, which was Tosti’s ninth hole because he had started his round on No. 10. [Golf Channel]
What did Alejandro Tosti say about his caddie quitting?
Tosti initially joked that Ellis “couldn’t keep up with eight pars in a row.” He later gave Monday Q a detailed response disputing several aspects of Ellis’ account. [Monday Q]
Who carried Tosti’s bag after the caddie left?
A spectator from the gallery stepped in to carry the bag for the remainder of Tosti’s first round. [GOLF]
Who was Tosti’s caddie in the second round?
Patrick Talledo took over Tosti’s bag for the second round. [Golfweek via Yahoo Sports]
What did Alejandro Tosti shoot after his caddie quit?
Tosti finished the first round with a 1-over 72. He shot even par in the second round and missed the cut.
Was Alejandro Tosti punished for the incident?
Both Tosti and Ellis told Monday Q that neither had received disciplinary action from the PGA Tour over the Biltmore walk-off. [Monday Q]
