Sergio Garcia has expressed remorse for his behaviour during the final round of The Masters. Following a disappointing drive on the second hole, Garcia damaged the turf and subsequently broke his driver against a bench. In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said, "I would like to apologise for my actions at The Masters.
I have immense respect for the tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, and I regret my behaviour, which does not reflect my appreciation for The Masters, its patrons, officials, and golf enthusiasts worldwide." Garcia received a warning from the competitions committee chairman, Geoff Yang, regarding his conduct, which is part of a new code-of-conduct policy introduced at The Masters this year. The incident occurred when Garcia began with a bogey and hit a weak fade on the par-five second hole, which was heading towards the bunker. He then slammed his driver onto the tee and into the turf, causing damage. Without repairing the club, Garcia proceeded to strike his driver against a wooden bench, resulting in the head of the club dangling from the shaft.
When questioned about the incident, Garcia declined to comment on the official's statement, saying, "I'm not going to tell you." He also did not apologise for his actions 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." Garcia has not achieved a top-10 finish in the 29 majors he has played since his victory at Augusta National in 2017. When asked about his record, Garcia attributed it to "bad golf" and "bad shots." This is not the first instance of Garcia's on-course outbursts; he was disqualified in 2019 for damaging greens and has a history of angry behaviour, including 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 the code-of-conduct policy, which The Masters was the first tournament to implement.
The policy states that a second violation during the tournament will result in a two-shot penalty, while a third violation will lead to disqualification. The PGA Championship will also be using this policy next month at Aronimink Golf Club.