Max Homa comments on Garcia, stating that frustrated golfers appear entitled.
In the hours leading up to Rory McIlroy’s tap-in putt that secured his second consecutive Masters title, discussions at Augusta National on Sunday morning centered around Sergio Garcia’s outburst involving a broken tee box and club.
When asked about the incident, Max Homa remarked that it reflects poorly on professional golfers, while also recognizing that the sport can evoke strong emotions.
“I disapprove of club breaking. I dislike when players damage the golf course because we all have to contend with it, and I believe that breaking clubs portrays us as quite spoiled,” Homa stated during a press conference on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, addressing the issue without directly naming Garcia.
“… Iβm not certain where I would draw that line, but I certainly think damaging a golf course would be at the top of the list since the rest of us have to play it. However, it’s a challenging matter to navigate because it is so subjective. If I act out when no one is watching on TV, that is judged much less harshly than if it occurs in front of an audience. So Iβm unsure how one would resolve that situation.”
Garcia received a code-of-conduct warning on Sunday for his behavior. After a tee shot on No. 2 that landed in a bunker, he struck his driver into the ground, causing visible damage, and then hit his driver against a cooler, breaking the club’s head. According to the Rules of Golf, Garcia was not permitted to replace his driver as it was damaged due to misconduct.
“[I’ve been frustrated] throughout the year,” Garcia, who placed 52nd out of 54 golfers who made the Masters cut, commented after his final round. “Yeah, I’m not particularly proud of it, but sometimes these things occur.”
Garcia later apologized on social media on Tuesday, expressing his “regret” for his actions.
Homa also acknowledged his own shortcomings regarding inappropriate language and club throwing out of frustration, including an incident where he was seen tossing a club down the fairway during last year’s PGA Championship.
“I use a lot of inappropriate language. I try to do it when children aren’t around,” Homa noted. “So I believe there is some responsibility to be aware of your surroundings and not to say things in front of the wrong audience. Not that I have never done it.”
He conceded that throwing clubs or slamming a tee box presents a “bad look,” but noted that such reactions can occur in a sport that can be quite frustrating.
The PGA Tour has been working on a code-of-conduct policy for competitions, with the Masters being the first tournament to implement it, a source involved in the process informed The Associated Press on Sunday. Other major tournaments are also expected to adopt the policy this year, which escalates to disqualification after a third violation.
“It’s always beneficial to engage in that conversation. That’s positive,” Homa remarked, who tied for ninth at the Masters, marking his third consecutive top-12 finish there. “Along with pace-of-play issues, there are matters we can address, and we can take our time to figure it out before implementing it, but at least the dialogue is moving in that direction.
“We aim to inspire the next generation to surpass us, so we must be held to a higher standard.”
