A Rough Thursday For Aging Former Major Champions
Sergio melts down and Phil's gambling debt issues are revealed. Plus, news of a PGA Championship Manningcast feed and golf writer Bamberger moves to The Fire Pit.
Note to self: do not hit send on Thursday News & Notes lamenting the lack of star power teeing up just days before the next major. The Golf Gods will bite back with not one, but two stories involving neurotic major champions who were so briefly mellowed by fatherhood and now just appear to be hoping for one more big, dirty Saudi check.
There was Sergio, depositing one into the TPC Potomac crap wearing sewage plant brown poly slacks and still very much point-missing after all these years. The Spaniard managed, in one glorious unraveling, to commence his PGA Tour farewell and any hopes of a future Ryder Cup captaincy. But he saud hello to a late career life hurling clubs around Pumpkin Ridge and Rich Harvest Farms, plus a much-anticipated reunion with Royal Greens, the same course where he threw a childish hissy fit and vandalized greens.
Thursday’s Wells Fargo saw Sergio Garcia arguing with a PGA Tour rules official over the timing commencement for a lost ball search.
"I can't wait to get out of here,” the miserable one said in reference to the PGA Tour.
After more of his signature whining and petulance, Sergio subtly announced he’ll be taking up residence on Mohammed bin Salman’s LIV Golf circuit.
"I can't wait to leave this tour. ... I can't wait to get out of here, my friend,” Garcia said.
And the brooding one wrapped things up by saying to the official, “a couple of more weeks, I don't have to deal with you anymore.”
Note to Sergio: PGA Tour rules officials work all four major championships, something you would know if he actually interacted with humans in an adult manner. But good news: your exemptions to the PGA, U.S. Open and Open are up after this year.
Adding to the absurdity of it all, the Tour later issued a statement saying that bad info from a TV spotter meant Garcia was correct about his timing gripe. However, this did not change his score or justify the bush league baggery.
The owner of one top 10 finish in 2021-22 did not speak to reporters after his opening 67. But his lucky agent did confirm that Garcia has sought a PGA Tour release for the first LIV event in London.
Gee, you don’t say?
The full video from PGA Tour Live can be seen here. It’s historic since this could be one of Sergio’s final rounds on the PGA Tour. Until he comes crawling back.
If you have a life and deal with real problems, here’s a snippet of the meltdown…
