Sergio García issued an apology on Tuesday for his outburst during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
García lost his temper on the second hole at Augusta National after his tee shot landed in the bunker, taking two swings at the grass before damaging his driver against a cooler.
He received a code-of-conduct warning, a first for the Masters, and was prohibited from replacing the club in his bag.
On social media Tuesday, he expressed “regret” regarding his behavior.
“I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday at the Masters tournament,” García stated. “I respect and value everything that The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club represent for golf. I regret my behavior, which has no place in our sport. It does not reflect the respect and appreciation I hold for The Masters, the patrons, tournament officials, and golf fans globally.”
Paired with Jon Rahm on Sunday, García lightened the mood shortly after his outburst by carrying Rahm’s bag down the fairway while his caddie handled a bunker.
According to club officials, Geoff Yang, serving as chairman of the competitions committee, spoke with García on the fourth tee and issued the code-of-conduct warning. After finishing his round with a score of 3-over 75, García refrained from disclosing what Yang had said and did not explicitly apologize for his behavior.
“[I’ve been frustrated] throughout the year,” remarked García, who concluded with a 72-hole total of 8 over. “Yeah, just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it occurs.”
Since claiming his sole major title at Augusta National in 2017, García has missed six cuts at the Masters and tied for 23rd in 2022. He finished 52nd out of the 54 players who made the cut when he left the green on Sunday.
When asked about his poor performances at the Masters since winning a green jacket, he replied, “Bad golf.” When probed for specifics regarding his struggles, he stated, “Bad shots.”
During last year’s final round of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, García expressed frustration by slamming his driver into the ground on the second hole, breaking it in half. He completed the final 16 holes without a driver and recorded a score of 3-under 68.
In 2019, García was disqualified at the Saudi International for damaging greens out of frustration. His history of incidents includes angrily kicking off his shoe after slipping during a tee shot at the World Match Play in 2001, nearly hitting an official, and spitting into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral after three-putting.
Information from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and The Associated Press was utilized in this report.
