During the first round of the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, North Carolina, professional golfer Alejandro Tosti unexpectedly lost his caddie, Cliff Ellis, midway through the round. After a tense verbal confrontation on the course, Ellis, who has worked with Tosti intermittently over several years, abruptly took off his caddie bib and walked away, leaving Tosti to continue without official support. Video footage of the incident shows the heated exchange before Ellis dropped the bag and left the playing area.

With no caddie available, Tosti improvised by recruiting a spectator from the gallery to carry his bag for the remainder of the round. Despite the disruption, Tosti managed to shoot an even-par 71 for the day, placing him at 1-over for the tournament. However, this score left him outside the cut line, continuing a challenging 2026 season for the Argentine golfer.

Tosti’s season has been marked by struggles on the course, as he has made only four cuts in 21 tournament starts and has not yet finished in the top 25 this year. His best performances were tied for 30th place at the ISCO Championship and the Valspar Championship. This latest incident with Ellis adds to a year with little momentum, compounding difficulties both on and off the course.

Throughout his career, Alejandro Tosti has faced mental and behavioral challenges in professional golf. In 2023, he was suspended following a conduct-related episode, and he has openly spoken about his ongoing internal struggles with managing his mental game. This recent caddie fallout underscores another tough moment in Tosti’s professional journey amid an already tumultuous season.