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 disappointing drive on the second hole, Garcia ripped up the turf and then damaged his driver by slamming it against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia expressed his regret, saying, "I want to apologize for my actions at The Masters tournament. I have great respect for The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret the way I acted, as it does not reflect the respect and appreciation I have for the tournament, its patrons, officials, and golf fans worldwide." Garcia 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. 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. He reacted by slamming his driver into the turf and then into a wooden bench, causing damage to the club. Garcia declined to comment on what was said by the official, stating, "I'm not going to tell you," and later added, "Next question," when asked again. After his round, Garcia did not apologize for his behavior, simply stating, "Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens." Garcia's record at The Masters has been disappointing since his win in 2017, with no top-10 finishes in 29 majors. 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 controversy, having been disqualified in 2019 for damaging greens and previously displaying angry outbursts on the course. The PGA Tour has been developing a code-of-conduct policy, which was first implemented at The Masters. A second violation during the tournament results in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation leads to disqualification.