Sergio Garcia has apologised after an angry outburst during the final round of the Masters left his driver broken and earned him a formal warning.
The former champion lost his temper on the second hole at Augusta National after a wayward tee shot drifted towards a fairway bunker. In frustration, he struck the turf and then smashed the club against a nearby cooler, snapping the driver and forcing himself to finish the round without it.
Garcia later said he regretted the way he behaved, admitting it was unacceptable and did not reflect the respect he has for the Masters, Augusta National, tournament officials or golf fans. His apology came after widespread attention on social media and in golf coverage following the incident.
Because the club was damaged in anger, Garcia was not allowed to replace it under the rules, leaving him to complete the rest of his round without a driver. Masters official Geoff Yang, who chairs the competition committee, spoke to Garcia on the fourth tee and issued a code-of-conduct warning. Reports said the Masters had introduced the policy this year, making Garcia one of the first players to be formally cautioned under it.
The Spaniard, who won the Masters in 2017, struggled for the rest of the day and signed for a 75, ending the tournament at eight over par. He finished near the bottom of those who made the cut, a disappointing close to another uneven appearance at Augusta in the years since his victory.
