Garcia Issues Apology for Outburst at the Masters

Sergio Garcia has expressed regret for his on-course outburst 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 on social media, Garcia said, 'I want to apologize for my actions at The Masters. I have great respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my behavior, which does not reflect my appreciation for the event, the 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 issued under the new conduct policy introduced at The Masters this year. After starting with a bogey, Garcia 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 later hit it against a wooden bench, causing damage to the club. When questioned about the incident, Garcia declined to comment on what the official had said to him. He also did not apologize for his behavior after completing his round with a 75, finishing 52nd among the 54 players who made the cut. Garcia stated, 'I'm not particularly proud of it, but sometimes these things happen.' The golfer has not had a top-10 finish in the 29 majors he has played since winning The Masters in 2017. When asked about his record, Garcia simply said, '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. 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, scheduled to take place next month at Aronimink Golf Club, will also be using this policy.