PGA Tour pro Alejandro Tosti's caddie quits mid-round in Asheville

Caddie walks off during round

The incident took place at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. Tosti, 30, who began the week ranked 186th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, was playing alongside Luke Clanton and Spencer Oxendine after teeing off from the 10th hole at 8:59 a.m.

While Tosti was playing his ninth hole of the day – the 18th – caddie Cliff Ellis dropped the bag, removed his caddie bib and left. According to a source at the tournament, tension between the two had already been visible during Tuesday's practice round, but Tosti himself was caught off guard by the mid-round departure: he initially assumed Ellis had gone to use a restroom near the 18th green and only realized his caddie was gone once he reached the first tee.

Tosti finished the round without a caddie, carding a 1-over 72 after making par on his first 11 holes. Asked by Golfweek reporter Adam Schupak about the incident, Tosti joked that his caddie "couldn't keep up" with his run of good scoring – Golfweek and Yardbarker quote him referencing eight pars in a row, while Golfmagic reports he mentioned nine consecutive pars.

A history of friction

This is not the first time Tosti has clashed with caddies or fellow competitors. In 2023 he was suspended from the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs for "conduct unbecoming a professional" after expletive-filled outbursts directed at players and rules officials, and that same year he repeatedly cursed at his then-caddie, Ray Yoel. Yardbarker also notes a confrontation with Min Woo Lee in Houston last year over slow play. Tosti is known for frequently switching caddies, and at this year's Valspar Championship his caddie's bib read "Need a wife."

One unnamed PGA Tour veteran described Tosti, per Golfweek, as having a split personality – pleasant at pro-am events but combative during tournament rounds. Tosti himself has acknowledged that managing his emotions on the course has been a lifelong struggle.

After the first round, Americans Max Greyserman and Eric Cole shared the lead. Tosti is set to begin his second round on Friday at 1:49 p.m. ET and will need to find a replacement caddie before then.