Garcia Issues Apology for Outburst at Masters Tournament

Sergio Garcia has expressed remorse for his on-course outburst during the final round of The Masters. The incident occurred after a disappointing drive on the second hole, which prompted Garcia to damage the turf and then break his driver against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said, "I want to apologize for my actions at The Masters tournament. I have great respect and appreciation for The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my behavior, which does not reflect my true feelings towards 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, as part of the tournament's new conduct policy. 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 discuss the details of the warning, saying, "I'm not going to tell you," and when asked again, he replied, "Next question." Although he did not apologize for his behavior immediately after his round, Garcia later expressed remorse, stating, "I'm 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 missed the cut six times in eight appearances at The Masters since winning. When asked about his record, Garcia attributed it to "bad golf" and "bad shots." 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. A second violation during the tournament would result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation would lead to disqualification. The PGA Championship will also be using this policy next month at Aronimink Golf Club.