After Masters scandal: Sergio García asks for an apology

After his unprecedented outburst of anger on the final Sunday of the US Masters 2026, Sergio García is trying to calm the waters. Two days after destroying his Driver and damaging the tee box at Augusta National, the Spaniard released an official statement. However, for many observers, the 2017 champion's remorse comes too late.

It was an image that did not fit in at all with the venerable silence of Augusta National: a frustrated Sergio García ramming his Driver like a sledgehammer into the perfectly manicured turf of the second tee box and then smashing the tool against a cooler. After the 46-year-old Spaniard failed to show any insight immediately after the round, the official "mea culpa" followed on Tuesday.

Watch the video of Sergio Garcia's outburst at the US Masters 2026 here.

Sergio Garcia's apology: "No place in our sport"

García struck an unusually humble tone on his social channels. "I would like to apologize for my actions on Sunday at the Masters tournament," he said. He emphasized his respect for the club and Traditions: "I regret the way I behaved; it has no place in our sport. It doesn't reflect the appreciation I have for the Masters, the spectators, the officials and the golf fans around the world."

A Masters weekend full of tension

The fact that this apology only took place 48 hours after the incident is causing discussion in the golf world. Immediately after his disappointing round of 75 (total: +8, 52nd place), García brusquely brushed off questions about the incident. When asked what the chairman of the competition committee, Geoff Yang, had said to him during the historic official warning on hole 4, he simply replied: "I'm not going to tell you that. Next question."

Observers on the ground had also reported that García's mood had been at rock bottom all week. Dan Murphy from the NCG Golf Podcast described the Spaniard's demeanor as "foul". While other ex-champions enjoyed bathing in the crowd, García barely acknowledged the applause of the fans on the tees or avoided eye contact.

Historic penalty and a pattern of destruction

The incident on the second hole - a mishit Driver into the Bunker, followed by the willful damage to property - was not without consequences. The new "Code of Conduct" system was used for the first time at Augusta. As García damaged the tee box and deliberately destroyed his club (which forced him to play the remaining 16 holes without a Driver), he received a warning. In this system, two infringements lead to penalty strokes, a third to disqualification.

For experts, the outburst is part of a worrying pattern. As recently as 2025, García smashed a club under similar circumstances at the Open Championship. His record also includes a disqualification at the 2019 Saudi International due to damaged greens and the infamous Doral spitting incident, when he spat into the hole after a poor performance on the green.

Pressure ahead of the PGA Championship

The Spaniard's sporting crisis seems to be the trigger for the thin skin. Since his legendary playoff victory over Justin Rose in 2017, García has not recorded a single top-10 finish in 29 major starts. In Augusta, he has missed the cut six times since the win.

It remains to be seen whether the late apology will be enough to save his reputation at the world's most exclusive tournament. One thing is certain: García will be under particular scrutiny at the upcoming PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club. The new disciplinary system will also be applied there - and another apology two days after the tournament will hardly be enough to avert sporting consequences.

Here you can find an overview of all 2026 golf majors with dates and prize money.

Background: Overview of the new Code of Conduct

The US Masters 2026 was the first tournament to implement the new catalog of penalties to protect etiquette on the course:

• 1. Violation: official warning (as with Sergio García on hole 4).
• 2. Violation: Two penalty strokes for the current tournament.
• 3. Violation: Immediate disqualification.