Garcia Offers Apology for Outburst at Masters Tournament

Sergio Garcia has issued an apology for his behavior during the final round of The Masters. Following a poor drive on the second hole, Garcia ripped up the turf and then damaged his driver by slamming it against a bench. In a post on social media, Garcia stated, "I want to apologize for my actions at The Masters tournament. I have immense respect for The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my behavior, which has no place in golf. My actions do not reflect the respect and appreciation I have for The Masters, its patrons, officials, and golf fans worldwide." Garcia, the 2017 champion, received a code-of-conduct warning from Geoff Yang, chairman of The Masters competitions committee, on the fourth tee. This warning was part of a new conduct policy introduced at The Masters this year. After hitting a weak fade on the par-five second hole, Garcia slammed his driver onto the tee and then into the turf, causing damage. Without repairing the club, he then struck it against a wooden bench, causing the head to dangle from the shaft. When questioned about the incident, Garcia declined to discuss the details, stating, "I'm not going to tell you," and later, "Next question." He also did not apologize for his behavior after finishing with a 75, placing 52nd among the 54 players who made the cut. Garcia said, "I'm not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens." Garcia has struggled to replicate his 2017 success, having not finished in the top 10 in the 29 majors since his win. He has missed the cut six times in eight appearances at The Masters. When asked about his record, Garcia attributed it to "bad golf" and "bad shots." This is not the first time Garcia has been involved in an incident, having been disqualified in 2019 for damaging greens and previously kicking off his shoe during a tee shot, which nearly struck an official. The PGA Tour has been developing its code-of-conduct policy, which The Masters was the first to implement. A second violation during the tournament results in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation leads to disqualification.