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 with his 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 immense respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my actions, which do not reflect my appreciation for the event, its patrons, officials, and fans worldwide." Geoff Yang, chairman of The Masters competitions committee, addressed Garcia on the fourth tee, issuing a code-of-conduct warning. This conduct policy was newly introduced at The Masters this year. Garcia, the 2017 champion, started his round with a bogey and then hit a weak fade on the par-five second hole, which was headed towards the bunker. In frustration, he slammed his driver into the turf and then struck it against a wooden bench, causing the club 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." After completing his round with a 75 to finish 52nd, Garcia was asked about his behavior and replied, "Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens." 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. When asked about his performance, Garcia attributed it to "bad golf" and "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 and spitting into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral. The PGA Tour has been developing its code-of-conduct policy over the past few years, and The Masters was the first tournament to implement it. The policy will also be used at the PGA Championship next month at Aronimink Golf Club. According to the policy, a second violation during the tournament results in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation leads to disqualification.