Sergio Garcia criticises players at PGA Championship: "They don't have the guts"
Ryder Cup hopeful Sergio Garcia says golfers 'don't have the guts' to talk about a hot topic at the PGA Championship when they're playing The Masters.
European Ryder Cup hopeful Sergio Garcia has given his take on a hot topic at the 2025 PGA Championship.
That topic? Mud balls. Before the second men's major of the year began, the PGA of America made the decision not to use preferred lies despite torrential downpours on Monday and Tuesday.
Reigning World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and the defending champion Xander Schauffele were among those to complain after 18 holes at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina.
Scheffler and Schauffele both hit their second shots into the water at the 16th and walked away with double bogeys in round one and whinged about not being allowed to 'play the ball up' in their post-round news conferences.
Garcia - who is among 16 LIV recruits in the field here - agreed with their opinion when he spoke to El Periodi Golf.
In comments that were translated by Handicap54, Garcia said: "What's curious is that here at the PGA people do complain but at Augusta, they don't have the guts to talk up about it, right?"
"It's funny how things change isn't it. It depends on where you're playing.
"If you end up with five mud balls, like I did today, let's try to figure it out somehow."
Garcia is right that there is less grumbling at The Masters.
But there is likely a reason for that.
Jordan Spieth suggested last month organisers of the coveted major apply censorship at Augusta National.
Spieth also complained about mud balls after his third round in April.
"My iron play killed me the last two days and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls," Spieth said.
"It's just so frustrating because you can't talk about them here. You're not supposed to talk about them.
"Mud balls can affect this tournament significantly, especially when you get them a lot on 11 and 13.
"Look, it's mowed into the grain. The ball is digging in on every shot. A lot of times you have it on 75 per cent of your drives."
Garcia did have the guts to speak up on the issue at Augusta in 2009.
"Even when it's dry you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway," Garcia previously said. "It's too much of a guessing game."
Garcia later apologised to Augusta.
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