WATER NIGHTMARE AS GARCIA TAKES 13
SERGIO GARCIA’S Masters defence is over almost before it started after a calamitous 13 on the 15th yesterday which included five balls in the water.
The Spaniard became stuck on auto-repeat after drilling his second shot into the drink at the par-5 hole, repeatedly spinning his approaches from the drop zone back off the green and into the water. It was the highest score recorded at the hole and the equal highest on any hole in the Masters. Garcia, who made an eagle three on the hole the previous time he played it in the final round of last year’s tournament, signed for a nine-over-par 81.
“It’s the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot,” said Garcia.
“I felt like I hit a lot of good shots with the sand wedge and unfortunately the ball just didn’t want to stop.
“With the firmness of the greens, I felt like the ball was going to stop and unfortunately for whatever reason it didn’t want to. “It’s just unfortunate.” Henrik Stenson, who had to wait an eternity in the group behind while Garcia completed the hole, celebrated his 42nd birthday with a taste of the Masters lead. Stenson contravened the Augusta National ban on running in order to mark his ball on the 18th green in case it disappeared down the slope. The Swede missed the par putt but a three-underpar 69 earned him a share of top spot early on. “It’s not really filling you with confidence