The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Garcia voices frustration, hints he could be leaving PGA Tour
Things went sideways for Sergio Garcia at the 10th hole at TPC Potomac during Thursday’s first round of the Wells Fargo Championship when his drive went left into what appeared to be a penalty area. And while searching for his ball, Garcia was heard on the television broadcast muttering about how a rules official had prematurely started the three-minute clock used on players who can’t find their shot.
His comments — “I can’t wait to leave this tour,” “can’t wait to get out of here,” “just a couple more weeks until I don’t have to deal with you anymore” — seemed to suggest that Garcia is among the golfers who will be leaving the PGA Tour for the LIV Golf Invitational Series, a rival circuit funded by Saudi money that is set to begin in June.
Garcia has not publicly announced that he will play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series, but he has played numerous times at the Saudi International, a European tour event funded by the same
source — Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the financial arm of the country’s government — as the new circuit. Critics say the new league is the oil-rich country’s latest attempt at “sportswashing,” attempts to improve its reputation by spending millions of dollars on athletic pursuits.
Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion who has 11 career PGA Tour victories to go with 16 more in European events, would be among the biggest names to join LIV Golf. But PGA Tour Commissioner Jay
Monahan repeatedly has said any PGA Tour player who signs on with the new league would be permanently banned from tour events, and the European tour has warned that any player who joins the Saudi-backed league would be disqualified from playing in the Ryder Cup. Garcia, 42, has a 25-12-7 record in his 10 appearances in the biennial competition between the United States and Europe.
After Thursday’s first round, the PGA Tour issued a statement saying the rules
official had erred in starting the clock on Garcia’s shot so early because his ball actually had landed across a creek and he was looking for a way across the body of water, not looking for his ball, when the clock started.
“The time spent by Garcia trying to access the other side of the creek should have delayed the start of the search time clock, and the ball would have still been ‘in play’ if not for that error,” the tour said in its statement. “Garcia was informed of the developments following his round. Under the Rules of Golf, Garcia’s score does not change despite the clarification.”
Garcia, who did not speak to reporters after his round, managed to record a par on the hole. He finished his round with a 3-under-par 67, four shots back of leader Jason Day.