The tense moment came after a disappointing first round for the LIV Golf star at the Masters.
LIV Golf star Sergio Garcia has snapped at a reporter after his opening round at the Masters, accusing the journalist of a provocative line of questioning during a frosty exchange at Augusta National. The 2017 Masters winner opened with a two-over par 74 to be nine strokes back from a trio of leaders – Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland – who sit at minus-seven after rounds of 65.
Garcia is one of 18 LIV Golf members playing this week, which marks one of the first times LIV golfers have competed alongside PGA Tour members since the controversial, Saudi Arabia-backed league came onto the scene. Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley praised the “tone” of players from both sides of the golf divide, with Australian LIV Golf star Cameron Smith admitting he was surprised by the warm reception he’s received from PGA Tour rivals on his return to the Masters.
While things seem amicable on the surface, it’s hard to escape the sense that there is an undercurrent of tension bubbling away in the background at Augusta. Garcia’s response to one golf journalist’s line of questioning is evidence of that.
“How normal did it feel coming back here and playing and concentrating on your game? The interviewer asked Garcia, whose move to LIV Golf’s 54-hole format may have left the 43-year-old underprepared for the rigours of a Masters assault. Garcia wasn’t having a bar of it, however, and accused the reporter of trying to drum up more controversy about LIV Golf.
