Sergio Garcia’s Frustration Boils Over at 2026 Masters: Clashes with Diver
A challenging drive tests the patience of even the most skilled golfers.
During the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament on Sunday, April 12, Sergio Garcia lost his cool, striking his driver against the tee box and then a nearby cooler after his shot veered into a sand trap.
“This was the frustrated Sergio,” commented the ESPN announcer during a replay of Garcia’s emotional outburst. “He hits the ground, and then that driver is toast for the day.”
Garcia was seen carrying his now-damaged driver, its head nearly severed from the shaft.
The shot took place on the second hole at Augusta National.
His frustrations quickly shifted to a comical moment as Garcia seemingly atoned for his emotional reaction by carrying Jon Rahm’s clubs down the fairway—a responsibility generally designated for caddies.
As the 2017 Masters champion, Garcia is not permitted to replace his driver for the remainder of the tournament due to damage caused by abuse, according to the Rules of Golf.
He was also given an official code of conduct warning by Geoff Yang, the chairman of the competitions committee, who spoke with Garcia at the fourth hole. A second violation of this code could incur a two-shot penalty, while a third would lead to disqualification.
The incident followed Garcia’s bogey on the first hole of the final round. Despite the troublesome drive on hole No. 2, Garcia managed to salvage par, before bogeying holes three and four.
After 16 holes in the final round, Garcia is in 52nd place.
Though he appeared to have calmed down since the initial outburst, Garcia has a history of displaying his emotions openly on the course.
At last year’s Open Championship, he destroyed his driver in frustration and completed the final 16 holes without it, eventually shooting a 3-under 68.
In 2019, he faced disqualification from the Saudi International for damaging greens out of anger.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the Masters leaderboard, Rory McIlroy and Cam Young are tied for first as they head into the final round. The two golfers are paired together and will tee off at 2:25 p.m. ET.
McIlroy held a historic six-stroke lead through the first two rounds of the tournament, marking the largest lead in Masters history after 36 holes, but Young’s exceptional performance in the third round closed the gap, leading to an exciting conclusion to the prestigious tournament.
“It feels amazing. It’s a place I truly love,” Young remarked after his best-ever round at Augusta National on Saturday, April 11. “This is my fifth Masters, and every return to this place feels special.”
