Sergio Garcia Reprimanded at Masters for Driver-Smashing Rampage on Sunday

AUGUSTA — Some things never change.

In the final round of the Masters, Sergio Garcia once again let his frustrations brew. After slicing his tee shot on the par-5 2nd, he pounded his driver into the ground twice, taking some chunks out of the tee box.

But he wasn’t done.

The 46-year-old Spaniard then whacked the water cooler and smashed his driver, detaching the head from the club.

This led to a code of conduct warning, with Geoff Yang, the chairman of the Masters competition committee, speaking to Garcia on the fourth hole, according to the Associated Press. However, Garcia wouldn’t comment on what he was told.

“I’m not going to tell you,” he said.

When he was pressed again, Garcia said, “Next question, please.”

Also, on the second hole, Garcia was seen walking down the fairway carrying playing partner Jon Rahm’s bag, as Rahm’s caddie raked a bunker. Garcia claims there wasn’t anything to it, though.

“Adam [Rahm’s caddie] stopped to rake my bunker, and Benji, my caddie, was carrying both bags, so I told him, ‘Just put it down, I’ll get it so you can go and get a yardage,’” Garcia said. “Just as simple as that.”

This wasn’t the first time that week Garcia had displayed his emotions. On the 9th hole in Round 2, Garcia detoured into the bushes and slammed his driver on the pine straw, and then stayed in there as his playing partners hit their drives.

Of course, Garcia is known for his temper. At last year’s British Open, he snapped his driver during a fit in the final round. And there have been many more instances. He flipped off a heckling crowd at the 2002 U.S. Open; he swiped a bush in the 2017 British Open, injuring his shoulder; and was disqualified at the 2019 Saudi International for a tantrum in the bunker.

As for this week, the 2017 Masters champion began the final round 16 strokes off the lead, before bogeying three of his first five holes. Ironically, he parred the second.

Then, he played the rest of the final round without a driver en route to a third-to-last place finish at 8 over par. He didn't seem to care, though.

“It makes it very easy,” Garcia said of his strategy without a driver. “I just have to hit 3-wood all the time. I didn’t have to choose another club.”

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