Masters Tournament officials at Augusta National witnessed an unusual scene Sunday when 2017 champion Sergio Garcia destroyed his driver in a fit of rage, forcing the Spanish golfer to complete his final round without the club.
The incident occurred early in Garcia’s round at the par-five second hole, where he started the day trailing the tournament leaders by 16 strokes and was already one stroke over par. After his tee shot landed in the right fairway bunker, Garcia’s frustration boiled over.
The former Green Jacket winner repeatedly slammed his driver into the ground before breaking the club completely when he struck a nearby cooler next to the tee box.
Tournament regulations prohibited Garcia from replacing the broken driver since the damage resulted from his angry outburst, leaving him to navigate the remaining 16 holes without his longest club.
When reporters asked if his frustration had been mounting, Garcia responded: “Through the year. Yeah. Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens.”
The unusual round included a strange moment where spectators saw Garcia carrying fellow competitor Jon Rahm’s golf bag down one of the fairways.
Masters officials approached Garcia at the fourth hole to discuss the incident, though the golfer refused to reveal details of their conversation.
“I’m not going to tell you,” Garcia stated when pressed about the officials’ comments.
Despite the early drama, Garcia managed to salvage par on the second hole where the incident occurred. However, his performance deteriorated throughout the remainder of the round, ultimately finishing eight strokes over par.
When asked about the difficulty of playing without his driver, Garcia offered a sarcastic response: “It makes it very easy. I just have to hit 3-wood all the time. I didn’t have to choose another club.”
Garcia’s performance at Augusta National has declined significantly since his breakthrough victory seven years ago. When questioned about his recent struggles at golf’s first major championship, he provided terse explanations.
“Bad golf,” Garcia said initially.
Reporters seeking more detailed analysis received an equally brief response: “Bad shots.”
“Well, if you don’t hit good shots, you’re not going to score well here. It’s very simple,” Garcia concluded.
