Sergio Garcia had a very disappointing finish at the Masters, despite making his first appearance at Augusta since 2022.
While Garcia had a relatively strong start heading into the season’s first major, that hasn’t been the case for many players at LIV Golf.
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However, his tournament ended in a controversial manner as he completely lost his cool during the final round of the Masters.
Garcia became enraged by the first shot on the second hole, slamming his driver into the ground and then into the water cooler, leaving significant damage.
Golf fans believe Garcia should be ejected from the Masters for his actions, and Rick Shields has added his thoughts on the debate.
Rick Shields doesn’t want Sergio Garcia banned from Masters
On the Rick Shields Golf Show, he said of the Augusta incident:
“Sergio Garcia is such a lovely person, such a nice person, every time I spend time with him. He is really fun to be around.
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“I played with him in Austin and he played terrible.
“Whenever he was really nice, he would look for my golf ball in the trees and bushes. I was embarrassed by the way I played, but he was very, very nice.”
“But he had this short-tempered Spaniard side to him and unfortunately he got the better of the situation.
“What I found a little strange was that he wasn’t really fighting. He wasn’t fighting for anything.
“He didn’t have to do that. He wasn’t fighting for anything. I don’t condone that at all. Hopefully he learns from it.”
“Personally, I hope he doesn’t get suspended. I want to see him at the Masters every year.
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“I think the Green Jackets did the right thing by having words with him, but it’s not good for people watching on TV.
“Hopefully this is the last we hear of it and we never see it again.”
Garcia is used to such abuse on the course, but this match at the Masters certainly feels different than any other.
Photo by Chris Condon/Augusta National/Getty Images
Sergio Garcia was really disappointed at the Masters
Garcia later apologized for his actions at the Masters, for which he was reprimanded by officials shortly after the incident.
He was clearly in a bad mood in the heat of the moment, as often happens on the track, and deserves credit for expressing remorse.
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But that does little to appease many people, and his childish behavior isn’t really a good look for the iconic tournament, and of course for the player himself.
The Masters is perhaps the most prestigious tournament in world golf, and naturally such acts are not taken lightly.
Notably, this was not the only breach of etiquette at Augusta, as Robert McIntyre was also reprimanded by Masters officials for giving the middle finger early in the tournament.
However, Garcia’s outburst was not only much more intense, it was even more surprising considering he is a former champion.
Although he claimed his only major win at Augusta in 2017, his recent actions at Georgia have certainly disappointed many of the icons who have earned the same honor.
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His frustration was epitomized by his 3-over 75 on Sunday, resulting in the LIV golf star finishing at 8-over.
This meant that he ended up 52nd out of the 54 players who qualified, with only Rasmus Hegaard and Charles Schwartzel ahead of him.
read more:
What Masters officials actually said to Sergio Garcia after his outburst on the second tee
Golf fans further anger Sergio Garcia after ’embarrassing’ interview after Masters round
Jon Rahm talks about Sergio Garcia’s true role as playing partner on the final day of the Masters
