Garcia Issues Apology for Outburst at The Masters

Sergio Garcia has offered a formal apology for his on-course outburst during the final round of The Masters tournament. The incident occurred when Garcia became frustrated with his game, tearing up the turf after a poor drive on the second hole and then damaging his driver by slamming it against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia expressed remorse for his actions, stating, "I want 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, the patrons, officials, and golf fans worldwide." Geoff Yang, chairman of The Masters competitions committee, addressed Garcia on the fourth tee, issuing a code-of-conduct warning. This warning was part of a new conduct policy introduced at The Masters this year. Garcia, the 2017 Masters 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. His frustration boiled over as he slammed his driver onto the tee and then into the turf. Without attempting to repair the damage, Garcia proceeded to smash his driver against a wooden bench, causing the clubhead to dangle from the shaft. When questioned about the incident, Garcia declined to discuss the details, saying, "I'm not going to tell you." After completing his round with a 75 to finish 52nd among the 54 players who made the cut, Garcia was asked about his behavior but did not offer an apology, simply stating, "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 record, 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 in anger during a tee shot at the World Match Play in 2001 and spitting into a cup after three-putting at the World Golf Championship at Doral. The PGA Tour has been developing its code-of-conduct policy over the last few years, with The Masters being 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 will result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation will lead to disqualification.