Garcia’s right out of bounds

MAURICIO POCHETTINO was once seen having lunch with Sir Alex Ferguson in Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair.

The other day, he was seen in the Locanda Locatelli restaurant in central London and among his fellow diners were David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

Maybe he got the lowdown on life at the Bernabeu from the Real Madrid alumni or maybe he just has a few quid and likes very nice food in very nice restaurants.

A man has to eat, after all. LEGEND has it that a visitor, who took a bad-tempered hack at a fairway at Swinley Forest Golf Club, was served the divot on a plate at lunch, told to leave and to never return.

That is how golf operates. Although not for Sergio Garcia, it seems, who took a divot out of a GREEN during last week’s tournament in Saudi Arabia, as well as scuffing up a few putting surfaces by deliberately dragging his spikes.

Sure, he was disqualified, but the only thing since then has been a terse apology and a message from the European Tour’s chief executive Keith Pelley to confirm no further action would be taken against the Spaniard.

For Garcia (above) not to be fined or suspended suggests the European Tour does not want to antagonise one of its marquee players.

In a spirit that prides itself on the honest, noble behaviour of its participants, he has got off lightly.