Sergio Garcia refuses to discuss Masters conduct | Golf News

Sergio Garcia refused to handle questions relating to an official warning he obtained for destroying a tee box and snapping his driver during an explosive final-round meltdown.

The 2017 Masters champion was reprimanded by Geoff Yang, head of the competitors committee, after slamming his membership into the ground twice following an errant tee shot on the second gap, tearing up a chunk of turf.

Garcia appeared visibly annoyed after his opening shot of the day veered sharply to the appropriate. Following a bogey on the first gap, Garcia hit a shot that discovered a bunker — and he misplaced his composure, driving his membership into the ground and tearing up the tee floor.

The Spaniard then turned toward a water cooler and bent the shaft of his driver around its base, leaving the membership head barely connected. Under the Rules of Golf, Garcia was prohibited from changing his driver due to it being broken through misconduct.

Garcia obtained his code-of-conduct warning on the fourth tee.

It had been a depressing week for the Spaniard at the location of his only Major victory. He had written off his possibilities of competing before the event even started, and his frustration with his efficiency proved justified after carding a three-over-par 75 to end outdoors the top 50 at eight over.

When pressed to reveal what Yang had said to him on the fourth gap, Garcia responded: “I’m not going to tell you.” When questioned about not having the ability to use a driver, Garcia fired back: “It makes it very easy. I just have to hit 3-wood all the time. I didn’t have to choose another club.”

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Moments later, another journalist tried to probe additional, but Garcia cut them off with: “Next question, please,” bringing the press gathering to an abrupt close.

Throughout his temporary two-minute media look, Garcia remained terse, and when pressed about his conduct on the second tee, he remarked: “Obviously, not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens.”

Garcia, who competes in LIV Golf, wasn’t alone in going through scrutiny from event officers over his conduct. Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre also obtained a code of conduct warning after making an obscene gesture during a disappointing opening spherical that noticed him miss the cut.

The PGA Tour has been working on a code of conduct for competitors. The Masters is believed to be the first event implementing it, with the PGA Championship and the remaining two majors anticipated to undertake it as properly.

Under the coverage, a second infraction outcomes in a two-stroke penalty, while a third violation means disqualification. Garcia was beforehand disqualified from the 2019 Saudi International for damaging greens out of frustration.