Masters told to ‘never have’ Sergio Garcia back after frosty interview | Golf | Sport

The Masters have been told to BAN Sergio Garcia from competing at Augusta National again following his outburst at the start of his final round. Garcia has cut a despondent figure at the Masters all week, and his frustrations boiled over in Sunday’s final round when he smashed his driver against a water cooler.

Following a poor tee shot at the second hole, the Spaniard turned away in disgust and wrapped the club around the leg of a cool box holding bottles of water for players and caddies. Garcia was later reprimanded and confronted by an official. Geoff Yang, the chairman of the Masters competition committee, spoke to the 46-year-old on the fourth tee and gave him a code of conduct warning.

Although Garcia, who won the Masters in 2017, has a lifetime privilege to play at Augusta due to being a former champion, ESPN host Mike Greenberg has called for him to be suspended from competing there again.

In a post on X, Greenberg said: “A lifetime exemption is a privilege extended by Augusta to its champions out of respect. If that respect is not reciprocated, there is no law that says a past champ cannot be banned. I’m not sure they should have Sergio Garcia back after the garbage he pulled today. #themasters.”

Garcia, meanwhile, was asked about the incident following his round in a tense interview. “Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens,” he said.

Asked if he had been given a warning on the fourth, he replied: “I’m not going to tell you.”

Probed again in a flash zone interview, he said: “Next question, please.”

This wasn’t the first time that Garcia has blown up in an event, with the 46-year-old disqualified from the 2019 Saudi Interval after taking out chunks from a green with his putter.

“I’m sorry to my fans and fellow competitors,” Garcia said in an apology for his behaviour. “What happened is not an example I want to set, and it’s not who I truly am.”

Garcia finished his final round with a three-over par 75 to leave him down in 52nd overall at eight-over.