With video now circulating of the incident, what had been a hearsay account from inside the ropes suddenly has a visual record to match. And it only adds to one of the more bizarre scenes of the PGA Tour season.
As Golfweek's Adam Schupak first reported, Alejandro Tosti's caddie, Cliff Ellis, quit on him
in the middle of Thursday's opening round at the Biltmore Championship Asheville, walking off during play at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, North Carolina.Tosti, the 30-year-old Argentinian who arrived at the FedEx Cup Fall event ranked No. 186 in the standings, began his round on the 10th tee alongside Luke Clanton and Spencer Oxendine. The split came on the par-4 18th, Tosti's ninth hole of the day. Video released by the Golf Channel
of the moment shows Ellis setting down the bag, removing his caddie bib and leaving the course, forcing Tosti to continue without him.
As first reported by @Golfweek reporter @AdamSchupak, this is a wild 30-second video. https://t.co/T6iIrbZA6C
— Golfweek (@golfweek) September 18, 2026
The sudden departure quickly became a talking point around the tournament, with players, caddies and fans scrambling for details about what led to the breakup. Neither Tosti nor Ellis publicly explained what triggered the walk-off.
Tosti, however, appeared to take the situation in stride.
Reached by text message after the round, he joked that Ellis "couldn't keep up with eight pars in a row," referencing his steady start. He followed the comment with three laughing-while-crying emojis.
Whether the split was the result of an isolated disagreement or something that had been building over time remains unclear. What is certain is that thanks to the newly surfaced video, one of the week's strangest moments is no longer just a story passed around the clubhouse. It is now documented for everyone to see.
Tosti returned with a new caddie for the second round of the Biltmore; Patrick Talledo was the new caddie, according to an updated list released by the PGA Tour during the second round.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Video shows caddie walking off on PGA Tour golfer mid-round
