Sergio Garcia suffered a spectacular loss of composure during The Masters final round on Sunday, destroying his driver in a fit of rage at Augusta's second tee.
The Spaniard, who had already dropped a shot on the opening hole, sent his ball into a bunker and responded by hammering his club into the ground twice.
His frustration then escalated dramatically when he struck a table containing a green cooler, leaving his driver head hanging loosely from the shaft.
The 46-year-old proceeded to tear the club head completely off, rendering the driver unusable for the remainder of his round.
Garcia went on to card a 75, finishing the tournament at eight over par.
Competition committee chairman Geoff Yang subsequently approached the 2017 champion at the fourth tee to deliver an official code-of-conduct warning.
Under tournament rules, a second warning would have incurred a two-stroke penalty, with disqualification following any third breach.
Sergio Garcia had to be spoken to by Masters officials after lashing out during his final round at Augusta! 😳 pic.twitter.com/UnfswNNs5F
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 12, 2026
Garcia was questioned about his exchange with Yang during his post-round media session but flatly declined to elaborate.
"I'm not going to tell you," he responded curtly. "Next question please."
The Spaniard did offer a measure of regret for his conduct, though his apology was notably brief.
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Five quirky facts about golf | GETTY"Obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens," Garcia stated, before moving the conversation along.
This outburst was far from an isolated incident in Garcia's career, which has been punctuated by similar displays of temper.
The Spaniard was thrown out of the 2019 Saudi International after causing damage to putting surfaces in a moment of frustration.
Two decades earlier, at the 2001 World Match Play, he kicked off his shoe in anger after slipping during a tee shot, with the footwear narrowly missing a tournament official.
Garcia also drew criticism for spitting into a cup at a World Golf Championship event at Doral following a three-putt.
Despite this pattern of behaviour, the former major winner expressed only limited remorse for Sunday's incident at Augusta.
Sergio Garcia endured a frustrating weekend at the Masters
|GETTY
The destruction of his driver did at least simplify Garcia's club selection for the remaining holes.
"It makes the decisions very easy," he quipped. "I just have to hit three-wood all the time. I didn't have to choose another club."
A lighter moment followed when Garcia began carrying fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm's bag while his own caddie Adam Hayes was raking the bunker, prompting applause from spectators.
Since claiming the green jacket in 2017, Garcia's Augusta record has been woeful, with six missed cuts from eight appearances and finishes of 23rd and 52nd in the other two.
Asked to explain his struggles, Garcia was blunt: "Bad golf. Bad shots."