Spain’s Sergio Garcia has defended a decision to concede an 18-foot putt to American rival Rickie Fowler on day three of the WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship.

No one was more surprised than Fowler when Garcia, and a hero of the 2012 Ryder Cup, told the young American to pick up his marker on the par four seventh hole.

Garcia had put his approach shot to just four feet and looked a good chance to win the hole against Fowler.

But then in one of the most bizarre episodes in match-play golf for some years the Spaniard ‘gave’ Fowler the hole to ensure a ‘half’, and as it turned out Garcia eventually lost the match 1up.

Garcia said he felt bad because of a delay he caused on the previous hole, when he made a reasonable request for a ruling because bees were swarming around his ball off the green at the par-4 sixth.

An official was summoned and eventually Garcia was given a free drop. Both players made par.

“Anything could happen on (the seventh hole), he could make it and I could miss it and still win the hole,” Garcia told the Golf Channel after the round. “… At least I feel good with myself even though I lost.”

Fowler can be seen lining-up his putt when Garcia told him to pick up his marker but then Fowler clearly looks dumbstruck and not believing Garcia who was 2 up at the time.

Sergio Garcia defends a decision to concede an 18-foot putt to Rickie Fowler and then lose his third round match in Arizona. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)

“”He said you want to halve it?” Fowler told the Golf Channel after the match.

“I didn’t know what he meant. I had to ask a couple times. I didn’t know if he had like a sandwich or … if I wanted to split lunch or something? Obviously I’d be stupid to not to take a halve.”

Fowler eventually got back to all square at the and then claimed victory with a birdie at last to go through to the last eight.

Despite the gesture, Garcia left the seventh green with a 2-up advantage and won the next hole to grow his lead to 3 up. Fowler trimmed the deficit over the next two holes, though, and the match remains tight.

See the video of the bizarre incident:-