Sergio Garcia is staring at yet another European Tour career fine and the possibility now of a first competition ban after being thrown out of the Saudi International.
Nearly two years after being afforded the honour of Life Membership in capturing the Masters and Garcia was unceremoniously ‘red-carded’ out of the historic first Saudi Arabia by European Tour CEO, Keith Pelley.
It was reigning Masters champion, Patrick Reed along with a number of Garcia’s fellow Saudi competitors who came forward after their Saturday rounds to complain of Garcia’s actions in damaging no fewer than five greens.
The Tour put out a statement advising of 39-year old Garcia’s disqualification and with Garcia responding in saying:
“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.”
But then it’s happened before and who’s to say it won’t happen again.
Garcia had been first slapped with a fine following the staging of the 2001 Greg Norman Holden International in Sydney and when the then recently-turned 21-year old took an incorrect drop at the second hole on day three of the event.
It was European Tour Chief Referee, John Paramor who handed Garcia a two-shot penalty and with Garcia showing his disgust by kicking a buggy and taking his anger out on a tree.
Garcia went on to eventually lose out the next day in a play-off.
It is believed also Garcia was slapped with a £(STG) 5,000 fine.
Garcia’s most-recent incident was attacking the metal side of a scorer’s cabin at last year’s PGA Tour Valspar Championship and this after three-putting the final green on day three of event won by fellow former Irish Open winner, Paul Casey.
It’s been reported this later episode involving Garcia is the first-time player since the formation of the European Tour has been disqualified over a serious misconduct charge which is incorrect.
In fact, over 15-years earlier Seve Ballesteros was disqualified on day three of the 2003 Italian Open at Garda Golf when he refused to accept a one-stroke penalty for slow play.
Ballesteros stormed from the course and then a short time hosted a press conference, and then in speaking in his native tongue, Ballesteros accused Chief Referee, John Paramor of ‘picking on him’ and also referred to then European Tour CEO, Ken Schofield as a dictator and labelled the Tour in general as ‘the Mafia’.
Three weeks later Ballesteros fronted a Mark James chaired disciplinary committee where he was believed to have been slapped with a £(STG) 5,000.
Garcia is now staring at facing a Tour disciplinary committee and just five months after the joy and euphoria in becoming Europe’s all-time Ryder Cup points scorer.
NOTABLE SERGIO GARCIA CAREER ‘INCIDENTS’
The Saudi Arabi incident continues a spate of known indiscretions from Garcia including:-
1999 – World Match-Play Championship, Wentworth, England. Garcia’s foot slips in playing his tee shot at the 15th hole on day one. His ball goes left into trees. He takes off his right shoe and hurls it at an advertising board at the back of the tee. His manager throws back the shoe but with Garcia kicking it forward and narrowly missing match referee, John Grant.
2001 – Greg Norman Holden International, Sydney, Australia. Believed to have been fined £(stg) 5,000 after kicking a buggy and lashing out at a tree. This following being slapped with a two-stroke penalty for a wrong drop at the second hole on day three of the co-sanctioned event. Garcia ended-up losing in a play-off.
2002 – US Open, Bethpage Park, New York. Garcia gives his fist and also his middle finger to hecklers while on the 16th hole after unsavoury comments directed at him.
2007 – WGC – CA Championship, Miami, Florida. Spits into 13th hole cup in picking up his ball and after missing an easy putt in the second round on route to missing the cut. Believed to have been fined $10,000.
2007 -Open Championship, Carnoustie. Padraig Harrington labels Garcia a ‘sore loser’ after the Irishman defeated Garcia in a four-hole aggregate play-off for the Claret Jug.
2010 – PGA Championship, Whistling Straits, Wisconsin. Garcia viciously attacks the edge of a bunker on six occasions at the second hole during round two.
2011 – Thailand Golf Championship, Bangkok. Hurls his 5-iron into the water after a poor tee-shot at the par-3 eighth hole.
2012 – US Open, Olympic Club, San Francisco. Attacks a TV microphone located close to the tee after a poor tee-shot at his 13th hole in round two.
2013 (January) Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai. Garcia viciously attacks a bunker after playing a poor shot on day three of the event
2013 (May) – Players Championship, Ponte Vedre, Florida. Garcia does a lot of finger pointing and blames Tiger Woods in moving after playing a poor shot at the second hole in round three.
2013 (May) – BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth. Garcia left red-faced at European Tour gala dinner with his ‘fried chicken’ comment when asked what he would serve if Tiger Woods were invited to dinner. Garcia put out a statement later in the night apologising to Woods.
2017 – Dell Technologies, TPC Boston, Boston. Garcia slams his putter into the fourth green bending the putter. He putts out for birdie using a 3-wood.
2018 (March) – Valspar Championship, Tampa, Florida. Kicked and damaged a metal side panel of the scorer’s hut after three-putting the last hole on day three of the event. Not witnessed by the Tour and no fine though it did not impress playing partner, Russell Knox.
2018 (April) – Valero Texas Open, San Antonio, Texas. Hurls his driver into bushes after a poor tee shot at his 14th hole in round two.
2019 – Saudi International, Saudi Arabia. Disqualified from the event after reported by fellow players for allegedly damaging five greens during third round of the inaugural event. Reports he damaged a bunker during round two but escaped penalty.
