Garcia Issues Apology for Outburst at The Masters

Sergio Garcia has expressed remorse for his behavior during the final round of The Masters tournament. Following a disappointing drive on the second hole, Garcia damaged the turf and then broke his driver by slamming it against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said, "I apologize for my actions at The Masters. I have immense respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my behavior, which does not reflect my appreciation for the event, 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 the tournament's new conduct policy. The incident occurred when Garcia, the 2017 champion, started with a bogey and hit a weak fade on the par-five second hole, which was headed towards the bunker. He then smashed his driver into the turf and against a wooden bench, causing damage to the club. Garcia declined to discuss the details of the warning and did not apologize for his behavior after finishing in 52nd place. He attributed his poor performance to "bad golf" and "bad shots." This is not the first time Garcia has been involved in an incident, having been disqualified in 2019 for damaging greens and previously displaying anger on the course. The PGA Tour has been developing its code-of-conduct policy, which The Masters was the first tournament to implement. A second violation of the policy would result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation would lead to disqualification.