Garcia Issues Apology for Outburst at the Masters

Sergio Garcia has expressed remorse for his on-course outburst during the final round of The Masters tournament. The incident occurred when Garcia became frustrated after a poor drive on the second hole, resulting in him damaging the turf and subsequently breaking his driver against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said, "I would like to apologize for my behavior at The Masters. I have a deep respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my actions, which do not reflect the values of our game." Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, received a code-of-conduct warning from Geoff Yang, chairman of The Masters competitions committee, on the fourth tee. This warning was issued under the new conduct policy that The Masters introduced this year. The incident began when Garcia started his round with a bogey, followed by a weak fade on the par-five second hole that was heading towards the bunker. In frustration, Garcia slammed his driver onto the tee and then into the turf, causing damage. Without repairing the club, he then struck his driver against a wooden bench, causing the head of the club to become detached from the shaft. When questioned about the incident, Garcia declined to discuss the details, stating, "I'm not going to tell you," and when asked again, he replied, "Next question." Garcia also did not apologize for his behavior immediately after his round, which ended with a 75 and a finish in 52nd place among the 54 players who made the cut. When asked about the incident, he said, "Obviously, I'm not super proud of it, but sometimes these things happen." Garcia has struggled to replicate his 2017 Masters victory, failing to finish in the top 10 in the 29 majors he has played since. He has also missed the cut six times in eight appearances at The Masters since his win. When asked about his record, Garcia attributed it to "bad golf," and when pressed for more specifics, he said, "Bad shots." This is not the first time Garcia has been involved in an on-course incident. In 2019, he was disqualified from the Saudi International for damaging greens in frustration. Other notable incidents include kicking off his shoe during a tee shot at the World Match Play in 2001, which nearly struck an official, and spitting into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral after three-putting. The PGA Tour has been developing its code-of-conduct policy over the past few years, with The Masters being the first tournament to implement it. The policy will also be in effect at the PGA Championship next month at Aronimink Golf Club. According to the policy, a second violation during the tournament will result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation will lead to disqualification. The PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open will all be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports. Viewers can watch these events with a Sky Sports subscription or by streaming with no contract.