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. The incident occurred when Garcia became frustrated with his drive on the second hole, resulting in him damaging the turf and then breaking his driver against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said, "I want to apologize for my behavior at The Masters. I have immense respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and my actions were not a reflection of this. I regret my conduct and acknowledge it has no place in the game of golf." 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. 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. In frustration, Garcia slammed his driver onto the tee and then into the turf, causing damage. He then struck his driver against a wooden bench, causing the club head to dangle from the shaft. Garcia declined to discuss the details of the warning he received from the official. When questioned about the incident after his round, he chose not to apologize for his behavior, stating, "It's not something I'm particularly proud of, but these things happen sometimes." 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. 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. In 2019, he was disqualified from the Saudi International for damaging greens in frustration. Other incidents include kicking off his shoe during a tee shot at the World Match Play in 2001 and spitting into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral. The PGA Tour has been developing a code-of-conduct policy over the last few years, with The Masters being the first tournament to implement it. The PGA Championship will also be using this policy next month at Aronimink Golf Club. Following a warning, a second violation during the tournament will result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation will lead to disqualification.