News

Sergio Garcia DQd for “serious misconduct” after damaging greens at Saudi International

Published

7 years ago

Feb 2, 2019

Sergio Garcia has been disqualified from the Saudi International after violating rule 1.2a, the European Tour said in a statement.

The rule allows for player disqualification in instances of serious misconduct.

According to Martin Dempster of the Scotsman, players behind Garcia alerted rules officials to the damage during the third round, which resulted in a meeting with chief executive Keith Pelley following the conclusion of the Spaniard’s round.

Garcia, who opened the competition at Royal Greens G&CC with rounds of 69, 70, said in the statement

“I respect the decision of my disqualification. In frustration, I damaged a couple of greens, for which I apologise for, and I have informed my fellow players it will never happen again.”

Garcia had already taken his frustrations out on a bunker during the tournament’s second round and indicated the course’s paspalum greens weren’t to his liking earlier in the week.

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44 Comments

DaveJ

Feb 4, 2019 at 9:55 pm

As someone who suffers from fits of rage myself, I can tell you that it isn’t something you can just stop doing. You can work to control it and mask it, but at some point your anger will get the better of you. You are immediately embarrassed and regretful but in the moment it can be impossible to get away from it. That being said, it was right to DQ him and he should probably be fined/suspended as well because the behavior can’t be condoned.

Reply Report comment
Tom

Feb 4, 2019 at 6:47 pm

Tiger swore and threw clubs, was never suspended or penalized now was he?

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  Feb 6, 2019 at 10:18 pm
  
  And that has what to do with Sergio damaging greens? Completely different offenses.
  
  Reply Report comment
Cm

Feb 4, 2019 at 1:45 pm

I can’t decide till I see the pictures of the greens. Still think Rahm is far worse slamming clubs regularly.

Reply Report comment
joro

Feb 4, 2019 at 12:38 pm

La la la, same old thing. He has a fit, reacts with a negative and then apologizes “I weel never do eet again, that is until next time. Face it, Sergio is nothing but a spoiled brat who thinks the World is against him and says so. Of course he does nothing to change that with his according to the pitiful “talking Heads” announcers who refer to his actions as the Fiery Spaniard. Fiery my fat ass, he is a spoiled little brat.

Suspend him for a few tournaments and see how bit the fire is after that.

Reply Report comment
Dr Remo

Feb 4, 2019 at 12:22 pm

Garcia deserves it.
Wish the same conduct standards applied to tennis…..e.g. Serena Williams’ outbursts and physically threatening line judges are a disgrace and should result in suspension.

Reply Report comment
Darryl

Feb 4, 2019 at 7:19 am

Whilst he’s no worse for losing his temper than any other of a dozen reasonably big name players out there, it’s what he does when he loses his temper that baffles. Petulance is one thing when you break your driver or putter over your knee, it’s another thing completely when you damage the playing surfaces, also the fact he did it on multiple greens. Ok, the red mist came down and he did something stupid in the first instance, he realises his mistake, apologises profusely, offers to WD and/or waive appearance fee, case closed. But to do it over and over again? Referee should have hauled him up for it at the very least. Disappointed the European tour haven’t announced at least a token ban. Surely they have to take into account the fact that he has very nearly injured spectators in the past. Apologists can no longer even say “it’s just frustration from never having won a major”, which always used to be the line. Monty was a properly bad tempered SOB when he played poorly and famously never won a proper major (face the facts, Champions tour), but I don’t remember him every carving a green up or throwing a club in a dangerous fashion, or fouling the hole. I’ve been a Sergio fan a long time and really enjoyed watching him break his major duck at Augusta in 2017, but he’s becoming impossible to justify supporting.

Reply Report comment
GolfConsumer

Feb 4, 2019 at 1:13 am

Callaway should drop his immature a__.

Thats it, I’m not buying another piece of Callaway golf equipment until they drop him!

Reply Report comment
jgpl001

Feb 3, 2019 at 3:01 pm

Anger, frustration, well we have all experienced that

Kick your bag, slam a club, swear, we have all done that

Damaging the golf course – WAY OUT OF ORDER, NOT ACCEPTABLE

Ban the brat

Reply Report comment
Chris

Feb 3, 2019 at 1:51 pm

Y’all are hating because you have immunity online. Be quiet, everyone gets mad. Go wash your super cavity back irons that you still shank.

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  Feb 4, 2019 at 12:47 am
  
  And the fact that many of us play SGI irons and aren’t good golfers justifies Sergio in some way? Please explain.
  
  Reply Report comment
- john
  
  Feb 5, 2019 at 2:17 pm
  
  Very mature response. Not.
  
  There’s getting mad and there’s getting mad. Sergio damaged five green – something I assume you’d be unhappy at if it was a member of your club doing it. Garcia has a hugely privileged life and the least he can do is act like the role model he is to many young golfers. Sergio seems like a decent enough guy, if a little emotional. I’m sure he’ll be hugely embarrassed by how he acted and would accept any criticism that comes his way.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dave C.

Feb 3, 2019 at 6:37 am

Many millions of dollars usually make most people jerks.

Golf pros, football players, capitalists, old money, new money.

Reply Report comment
- Chip2Win
  
  Feb 3, 2019 at 8:38 am
  
  I’m pretty sure there are lots of poor people who are jerks too.
  
  Reply Report comment
Central Oregon Golf

Feb 2, 2019 at 11:34 pm

I hope he never wins again. Should have kicked him off the course immediately instead of after round. Agree on more severe penalty in the way of suspension, fine, and maintenance fee to fix & improve course. Maybe the tours should sponsor anger management as well?!

Reply Report comment
- Safe Hans
  
  Feb 12, 2019 at 8:03 am
  
  Totally agree, he should be serving a ban for what he did – a serious lack of respect to the course and our game.
  
  Reply Report comment
Johnny Rebel

Feb 2, 2019 at 9:50 pm

Sergio acts like a n igger when he doesn’t get his way.

Reply Report comment
AC in TX

Feb 2, 2019 at 9:26 pm

I damage greens all the time – it’s called hitting it fat … very fat.

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  Feb 3, 2019 at 10:23 am
  
  Either you don’t know the difference between greens and fairways, or you really have no business putting.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jose Pinatas

Feb 2, 2019 at 5:15 pm

Can someone post a video of this? I love Sergio meltdowns, super entertaining..

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  Feb 2, 2019 at 9:34 pm
  
  Yeah, I’d like to see what kind of damage he caused with a putter and how he tried to disguise it as normal play. What a JackA$$
  
  Reply Report comment
Oldplayer

Feb 2, 2019 at 4:26 pm

This behavior shows the character of the guy much more than any words.
What a spoiled brat. He’s off my list for sure.

Reply Report comment
- Benjamin Kaiser
  
  Feb 3, 2019 at 8:47 am
  
  True dat
  
  Reply Report comment
Nolan

Feb 2, 2019 at 3:18 pm

He’s lucky the Prince didn’t make him disappear.

Reply Report comment
cdj

Feb 2, 2019 at 1:25 pm

Year back at Tour Championship SG hit a drive from tee box where I was at the time. Shot started on a good line to which I responded “good shot” or the like. He did not like where it ended up and looked at me saying “yeah, nice shot” in his snarky voice while slamming the tee marker.

Dude has Jameis Winston syndrome.

Reply Report comment
Acemandrake

Feb 2, 2019 at 1:18 pm

No gratitude for God-given & earthly riches.

When will he grow up?

Reply Report comment
- Robert
  
  Feb 4, 2019 at 12:10 pm
  
  Will he EVER grow up. No more Callaway or Adidas until he is gone.
  
  Reply Report comment
Kolby

Feb 2, 2019 at 12:51 pm

Suspend Sergio Garcia from both Tours until AFTER Augusta! LOL

Reply Report comment
Johnny balls

Feb 2, 2019 at 12:44 pm

Paspalum sucks. Saudi Arabia sucks. No booze. Screw that place.

Reply Report comment
- francisco borja lopez diez
  
  Feb 4, 2019 at 7:27 am
  
  The players had a yacht next to their hotel in which they were being served alcohol afer 9 pm…and 25 girls to entertain from Russia, Poland…
  They had a concert with Mariah Carey as well as a dj session form DJ Tiesto. The country may not be your favorite place, but be sure these guys were treated much better than a regular tourist
  
  Reply Report comment
  - john
    
    Feb 11, 2019 at 11:33 am
    
    A Mariah Carey concert sounds like ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ to me. Might explain Sergio’s meltdown.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - stevez
    
    Feb 21, 2019 at 1:00 pm
    
    I thought I read he was happily married, new baby, and Masters Champ. Wass the problem now
    
    Reply Report comment
Alan Schwepps

Feb 2, 2019 at 12:32 pm

Gee I wonder if he’s going to get fined more than $98,000 that Li got dinged for his asinine rule violation.

Make him pay to fix the green’s and fine him $250,000 for being a douche nozzle….

Reply Report comment
dat

Feb 2, 2019 at 12:00 pm

Pathetic, this isn’t a drunken muni round, Sergio.

Reply Report comment
Rory O Donnell

Feb 2, 2019 at 11:14 am

Spitting into holes and now this

Reply Report comment
Bert Gwaltney

Feb 2, 2019 at 10:09 am

Sometimes I’m confused about “like” or “shank” If I click “like” does that mean I like that he was DQ’ed or “like” what he did. If I click “shank” does that mean I don’t agree with the DQ or agree with it.

Maybe it’s rather I “like or shank” the article?

I’m glad he was DQ’ed, and yes he’s had it coming for a long time. Good on you European Tour. Maybe the PGA Tour will see your example of enforcing the Rules of Golf.

Reply Report comment
Denny Jones

Feb 2, 2019 at 9:17 am

DQ like this should be swift and have more bite. Instead of just a DQ, the penalty should be more severe. If they weren’t allow to participate in a major because of a fit of rage, the rage would disappear.

Reply Report comment
- joe
  
  Feb 2, 2019 at 10:04 am
  
  Im a Sergio fan but I agree with you. This act stresses my affinity for him. And he is habitual so maybe a 3 event suspension?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bert Gwaltney
    
    Feb 2, 2019 at 10:17 am
    
    Again he has embarrassed himself, displayed his lack of respect for the game and fellow competitors. I’ve had tried to accept his behavior as being immature, or having a fiery Spaniard temperament, but this goes past that.
    
    Sad news for the game and Champion golfer. I suspect he will lose all respect from those who love and support the game, the patrons.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Mower
    
    Feb 2, 2019 at 12:26 pm
    
    “I damaged a couple of greens.” WTF!?
    Yeah, time to crack down on this shit.
    
    Reply Report comment

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