As far as spitting goes, Sergio Garcia’s faux pas at Doral on Saturday ranks far down the list of most disgusting incidents. Charles Barkley and Roberto Alomar were unanimous selections to the Spitting Hall of Shame. (Titanic’s Kate Winslet gets a pass because we all hated her target, bad guy & groom-to-be Billy Zane, and he had it coming.) But this is golf we are talking about, a sport where manners are such an integral part of competition that they are codified. There is a whole section of the rule book dealing with etiquette. In summary this section says that “the overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times.”
Garcia, after missing a 7 foot par putt on the 13th hole, tapped in for bogey. An apparently distraught Garcia bends over, pulls the ball from the hole, then lets a monster loogie drop into the cup. When questioned post round about the issue by NBC reporter Jimmie Roberts, Garcia lamely said he “didn’t spit … it’s no big deal … it went in the middle … wasn’t affecting anybody else … (if so) I would have cleaned it.” Sure, Sergio, sure. As if that makes it okay. Sounds like he attended the Bill Clinton School of Explanation. Imagine if something like this was observed at your local course. It’s fair to say that bedlam would likely ensue.
Other than the camera catching someone - and it’s usually Tiger Woods - expectorate while walking down the fairway, I cannot recall one single Loogie-gate in all of golf history. Thanks, Sergio, for single-handedly lowering the bar.
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