A professional golfer works with multiple members of his team, including a caddie, coach, trainer, and more. But when they are on a golf course, the only person with them is their caddie. This bond between a caddie and golfer is therefore highly valued in golf. While many golfers change caddies when that relationship breaks down, it is rare to see a pro left alone mid-round. But that’s what Argentine golfer Alejandro Tosti experienced at the $5 million Biltmore Championship.

When Golfweek reached out for comment, Tosti cracked a joke, “He couldn’t keep up with eight pars in a row.”

Golfweek writer Adam Schupak reported that a source revealed that caddie Cliff Ellis dropped the bag, took off the caddie bib, and walked off on the par-four 18th, which was Tosti’s ninth for the day.

The Argentine golfer initially thought Ellis was going to the washroom. But when he reached the par-four first hole to play the front nine, Ellis declined to continue as his caddie.

Tosti referred to the back nine of his opening round in his joke. Although he mentioned eight pars in a row, he was actually on par for 11 consecutive holes. His first birdie came on the par-five third hole. However, he then hit two back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes, and then another one on the seventh before finishing with a birdie on the ninth. Overall, he finished his opening round at one over par.

For his Round 2, Alejandro Tosti is scheduled to tee off at 01:49 pm local time. He is in the fourth-to-last group alongside Luke Clanton and Spencer Oxendine. The Argentine golfer will look to make the most of this opportunity to improve his FedExCup Fall standings from 186th.

This isn’t an isolated event, as many other professionals have been in a similar situation to Tosti. For example, Brian Stuard’s caddie, Michael Lawson, dropped the bag and quit on the 12th hole of the final round of the 2015 Barracuda Championship. It was after an on‑course argument. Legendary Seve Ballesteros also faced this at the 1997 Spanish Open. After an argument on the 15th hole about hitting into water, caddie Martin Gray walked off. Ballesteros’ 16‑year‑old nephew carried the bag the rest of the round.

While Tosti joked about the situation, he has a history of friction with caddies. For instance, during the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour, Monday Q Info’s Ryan French reported that Tosti was repeatedly cursing his caddie, Ray Yoel, at a New Jersey event. Multiple volunteers and fans described the expletives as loud.

The next week, at the Albertsons Boise Open, officials suspended him mid-round for misconduct. While Alejandro Tosti denied French’s past allegations, he admitted to having a short temper.

“It’s been the challenge for me my whole life, dealing with myself,” he told Golfweek in a late 2024 interview about his struggles with the mental side of the game.

Tosti admitted he could be like that from Thursday to Sunday because he focuses on his game and making money during those four days. So if anything gets in the way of that goal, he gets frustrated.

The member of his team who takes the brunt of his frustration is the caddie. Thanks to that, he has a reputation for multiple caddie changes. Ray Yoel, Joaquin Ali, and Cliff Ellis are among the caddies he has worked with. In fact, he was working with Joaquin Ali as recently as the 2026 Valspar Championship. The PGA Tour had allowed golfers to customize caddie bibs at the event, so Tosti made Ali wear a bib that said, “NEED A WIFE.”

There’s no confirmation, though, about whether Alejandro Tosti parted ways with Joaquin Ali or whether Cliff Ellis was just a temporary replacement.

Ultimately, Alejandro Tosti’s unusual caddie situation at the Biltmore Championship adds another chapter to his complicated history with caddies. While Tosti finished his opening round and joked about Ellis leaving the bag, the incident highlights the importance of trust and communication between a golfer and his caddie.