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Sergio Garcia Lets Loose After Lost Ball: 'I Can't Wait to Leave This Tour'

The Spaniard may have showed his hand on interest in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour after an errant tee shot at the Wells Fargo Championship.

Bob Harig

Sergio Garcia’s frustration on the golf course Thursday may have led to him inadvertently blurting out some future plans as he argued about a ruling concerning the time it took him to find a lost ball.

Playing the 10th hole at TPC Potomac in the opening round of the Wells Fargo Championship, Garcia blew his tee shot well left into a tall, grassy area that had a dry creek bed.

Unable to find the ball in the allotted time, Garcia was assessed a penalty – which he vehemently opposed with the rules official, asserting that he had not yet begun the search – you are allowed 3 minutes from when you arrive at the vicinity of the ball.

And he was then overheard on the video: “I can’t wait to leave this tour … just a couple of more weeks until I don’t have to deal with you anymore.’’

Garcia, 42, the 2017 Masters champion who has 11 PGA Tour victories as well as 16 on the European Tour, did not comment after the round but his agent confirmed that Garcia has asked for a release to compete in the LIV Golf Invitational Series' first event in London next month.

Although players must seek a release from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour), a LIV spokesman said more than 100 players have expressed interest in registering for the first event, which will have a field of just 48 players and a $25 million purse.

LIV Golf has not announced the players who have registered, pending the tours granting releases. Phil Mickelson acknowledged last week he had sought a release, as did Robert Garrigus previous to that.

Garcia ended up making a par on the hole and later holed an approach shot for an eagle at the par-4 15th hole. He shot 3 under for the round.

Editor's note: PGA Tour officials released a statement Thursday evening after video review, stating that Garcia's three-minute search time should have been paused while he was trying to reach the area where the ball was believed to be. Had that happened, he would have found the ball within the allotted time and it would have been in play. Under the Rules of Golf, his score on the hole remains the same despite the clarification.

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Bob Harig
BOB HARIG

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. Harig is a regular guest on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and has written two books, "DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods" and "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry." He graduated from Indiana University where he earned an Evans Scholarship, named in honor of the great amateur golfer Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Harig, a former president of the Golf Writers Association of America, lives in Clearwater, Fla.

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