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Sergio Garcia pens apology for Masters tirade at Augusta
TL;DR
Sergio Garcia apologized for his outburst during the final round of The Masters at Augusta, where he damaged the teeing area and broke his driver after an emotional reaction to a bad shot. This incident led to a formal warning from tournament officials, marking a first in the event's history.
Sergio Garcia has issued a public apology after an emotional outburst during the final round of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
The incident took place at the par-5 second hole when Garcia’s tee shot found a fairway bunker. He reacted angrily, repeatedly striking the turf with his club and damaging the teeing area.
As he walked off, he hit a water cooler with his driver, snapping the clubhead and leaving himself without a driver for the rest of the round.
MORE: Sergio Garcia making spectacle of himself during Masters’ final round
Tournament officials responded immediately. A formal warning was issued under the Masters’ new code of conduct, marking the first such action in the event’s history. The warning came after further visible frustration on the fourth hole, drawing attention from rules officials.
On Tuesday morning, the 2017 champion addressed the incident through a message on X, admitting regret over his conduct. Garcia said he respects everything the Masters represents and acknowledged his actions crossed the line.
“I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday at The Masters tournament,” Gracia said. “I respect and value everything that The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club is to Golf. I regret the way I acted, and it has no place in our game.
“It doesn’t reflect the respect and appreciation I have for The Masters, the patrons, tournament officials, and golf fans around the world.”
Garcia struggled to recover from the moment. He finished the tournament at 8-over-par, placing well down the leaderboard. His final round score of 75 summed up a challenging week that never gained momentum.
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Sergio Garcia is ‘not proud’ of his actions
After the round, Garcia admitted he was not super proud of his actions and pointed to ongoing frustrations from his season.
“Just obviously not super proud of it,” Garcia said about his actions, via AP, “but sometimes it happens.”
The incident has sparked debate within golf circles, with some, like ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, questioning whether former champions should retain lifetime exemptions after such behavior.
Despite the controversy, Garcia’s apology signals an effort to take responsibility.
Q&A
What caused Sergio Garcia's emotional outburst at The Masters?
Sergio Garcia's outburst was triggered by his tee shot landing in a fairway bunker, leading him to strike the turf angrily and damage the teeing area.
What disciplinary action did Sergio Garcia face after his incident at Augusta?
Garcia received a formal warning from tournament officials under the Masters' new code of conduct, marking the first such action in the event's history.
How did Sergio Garcia damage his driver during The Masters?
Garcia damaged his driver by hitting a water cooler with it after his outburst, which resulted in the clubhead snapping and leaving him without a driver for the rest of the round.
