Garcia Offers Apology for Outburst at Masters Tournament

Sergio Garcia has issued a public apology for his on-course outburst during the final round of the Masters. The incident occurred after Garcia hit a poor drive on the second hole, prompting him to damage the turf and then break his driver against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia expressed regret for his actions, stating, "I want to apologize for my behavior at the Masters tournament. I have immense respect for the Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, and my actions were unacceptable. I understand that my behavior does not reflect the respect and appreciation I have for the Masters, its patrons, officials, and 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 a new conduct policy introduced at the tournament this year. The policy, developed by the PGA Tour over the past few years, will also be implemented at the PGA Championship next month. Following the warning, Garcia would have faced a two-shot penalty for a second violation and disqualification for a third. Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, has not finished in the top 10 in the 29 majors he has played since his victory at Augusta National. His record at the Masters since winning has been disappointing, with six missed cuts in eight appearances. 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, having been disqualified from the Saudi International in 2019 for damaging greens and previously spitting into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral. The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open will all be broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports, with the option to stream without a contract.