Opinion & Analysis

The (made-up) Sergio Garcia apology note

Published

13 years ago

Jun 12, 2013

Dear Tiger,

I am leaving this note in your locker so that it can be our secret, at least until I mention it in my press conference.

How did things get so out of hand? It seems like just yesterday that we were going head to head in that PGA Championship at Medinah in 1999. You were fist-pumping and I was scissor-kicking, and the whole world loved us both. We were young and talented. We thought the golf world would celebrate us as we split the next thirty majors between us 50-50. OK, maybe 60-40.

At least that’s what I thought.

But as time passed, we both learned that what seems easy can suddenly become difficult. You learned that many people expect a great golfer to be a good guy; I learned that many people only respect a good guy if he’s a great golfer. We both know that neither case is necessarily true.

I cannot lie; over the years, it hurt to see you win major after major while I spent most weeks on the “best player never to win a major” list. It stung that when I had my opportunities, they would slip through my fingers like greased ball markers. I admit that after each of them the thought, “Tiger would have closed it out” flashed through mind.

At The Players Championship this year, it seemed like things were going to change. But then you pulled that club.

Look, I don’t know if you meant to do it. You probably didn’t. But the fact is, as much of a pain as it is the play in the same era as you, it is even more of a pain to play in the same group as you. You know that, and I think you actually enjoy it.

When you pulled that club and the crowd reacted, it was a total synopsis of the last 15 years. Everyone is more interested in watching what club you pick than watching the rest of us actually play. I was angry at the shot, at the crowd and at you. And starting with my statement after that round, I started to vent.

Fifteen years of frustration doesn’t go away quickly. When I was asked about the incident at the European Tour dinner in London, I was still mad. I wanted to hurt you. But just like that shot at The Players Championship, I pushed it much too far. Instead of tweaking you, I managed to show a limited ability in English, comedy, modern social studies and event planning.

Tiger, we don’t have to be friends, at least not while we are both competing for the same things. But we can compete respectfully, without the kind of base behavior that we see in other sports. We are professional golfers, and I think that means something. I think that we are different than other sportsmen. You are far from perfect and so am I. But in golf, as in life, when you make a mistake you own it and try to do better the next time.

Admitting when they are wrong is something that good men do. That’s why I’m leaving you this note, Tiger. Because no matter how great of a golfer I am or will be, it is more important that I am a good man. That’s what ultimately matters for me, my family and for the game. Deep down, I believe that you feel the same way.

Good luck, and hopefully we’ll see each other on Sunday afternoon, preferably in the final pairing.

– Sergio

Click here to read what members are saying the “Tour Talk” forum.

Related Topics:

Up Next

Venue, Conditions, Set Up the U.S. Open for Dark Horses

Don't Miss

2013 U.S. Open: Picks and Preview

Michael Williams

Williams has a reputation as a savvy broadcaster, and as an incisive interviewer and writer. An avid golfer himself, Williams has covered the game of golf and the golf lifestyle including courses, restaurants, travel and sports marketing for publications all over the world. He is currently working with a wide range of outlets in traditional and electronic media, and has produced and hosted “Sticks and Stones” on the Fox Radio network, a critically acclaimed show that combined coverage of the golf world with interviews of the Washington power elite. His work on Newschannel8’s “Capital Golf Weekly” and “SportsTalk” have established him as one of the area’s most trusted sources for golf reporting. Williams has also made numerous radio appearances on “The John Thompson Show,” and a host of other local productions. He is a sought-after speaker and panel moderator, he has recently launched a new partnership with The O Team to create original golf-themed programming and events. Williams is a member of the United States Golf Association and the Golf Writers Association of America.

26 Comments

Silvio

Jun 14, 2013 at 5:31 pm

Tx Zak
I continue to think that Michael has written a good piece here. Golf is a gentleman’s sport and through his creative narrative Michael has given us a sensitive option of one way that the series of events could be read.
Please give Michael my compliments on the piece and I like the message he is sending out

Reply Report comment
Brian

Jun 14, 2013 at 1:47 pm

Lightn up Francis………..

Reply Report comment
sss2013

Jun 14, 2013 at 12:46 am

wat the hell kind of article is this? totally ridiculous! better made for tmz or radaronline – lol…

Reply Report comment
Zak Kozuchowski

Jun 13, 2013 at 5:56 pm

Cliff,

I don’t know what you mean. Michael’s story was not rude, and certainly didn’t attack anyone. It also wasn’t insulting or purposefully inflammatory.

To me, it nicely “capture[s] the essence of the issue fairly clearly,” as Silvio said in the comments above. But not everyone has the same view as me, which is why it’s in the opinion and analysis section.

– Zak

Reply Report comment
Zak Kozuchowski

Jun 13, 2013 at 4:35 pm

We follow the same rules on the front page as we do in the forums in moderating posts.

Learn more here — http://www.golfwrx.com/rules-and-terms/

But all you really need are the clif notes: “While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, or purposeless inflammatory posts.”

– Zak

Reply Report comment
- CLIFF
  
  Jun 13, 2013 at 4:51 pm
  
  zak
  
  I appreciate you chiming in here, but how exactly does the original article fit into the terms while it qualifies as rude, insulting, a personal attack, and a purposeful inflammatory post?
  
  -CLIFF
  
  Reply Report comment
Silvio

Jun 13, 2013 at 3:59 pm

I think that MW has probably captured the essence of the issue fairly clearly
Nice piece

Reply Report comment
Perry

Jun 13, 2013 at 3:15 pm

It appears that my comments were censored on here. I said nothing offensive or inappropiate. Interesting.

Reply Report comment
paul

Jun 13, 2013 at 2:51 pm

Low class literature.

Reply Report comment
Dirk

Jun 13, 2013 at 2:18 pm

Speaking of sarcasm…

Another great piece by Michael Williams! Way to go, Mike.

Reply Report comment
Jorge73

Jun 13, 2013 at 11:52 am

I dont understand how anyone can defend this dribble. Its aritlces like these that tarnish the reputation of wrx.

Reply Report comment
Andres

Jun 13, 2013 at 9:57 am

talk about taking things seriously, too much time on your hands, all of you.

Reply Report comment
- Gmatt
  
  Jun 13, 2013 at 10:37 am
  
  +111111 Take a chill pill
  
  Reply Report comment
WTF

Jun 13, 2013 at 9:20 am

This article is ridiculous! Seriously, how can this be on here?? I enjoy both of these guy’s golf, definitely a bigger fan of Tiger but this is just “too creative”, on the writer’s part. I won’t be surprised, If golfwrx is sued for this by El Nino camp and they should.

Reply Report comment
Richard

Jun 13, 2013 at 9:00 am

WRX unworthy article!

Reply Report comment
Tommy

Jun 13, 2013 at 12:08 am

This is the most poorly written “article” I’ve ever seen in WRX. Tiger and Sergio are professionals. The “writer” clearly is not.

Reply Report comment
- Martin
  
  Jun 13, 2013 at 5:09 am
  
  Totally agree
  
  Reply Report comment
- Martin
  
  Jun 13, 2013 at 5:10 am
  
  I mean, totally agree with Tommy
  
  Reply Report comment
Brian

Jun 12, 2013 at 8:50 pm

Yeah. This is absolutely ridiculous. I read the first couple sentences and wondered what the hell this was doing on here.

Pretty sad that something like this is even posted as a headlining article on golfwrx.

Reply Report comment
J_dub

Jun 12, 2013 at 7:15 pm

As vast as the internet is; seemingly infinite in size, this article is still a monumental waste of space.

Reply Report comment
RD

Jun 12, 2013 at 7:10 pm

umm .. did he actually apologize?

Reply Report comment
K.R.

Jun 12, 2013 at 7:06 pm

This is the most ridiculous thing i’ve seen on wrx. This poorly written, unimaginative attempt to get attention on a beaten to deaf subject is beyond silly. This piece of fan fiction takes away from the legitimacy that WRX has worked hard to obtain. Just being viewed on the opening page insults the real writers that contribute, such as Tom Wishon.

This is useless dribble that belongs in Star Magazine not GolfWRX. Take it down!

Reply Report comment
- Danny
  
  Jun 12, 2013 at 7:14 pm
  
  Umm….Yeah i agree. What exactly does this accomplish?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Kirk
  
  Jun 12, 2013 at 11:59 pm
  
  You speak just like a Tiger hater. Most normal people would see it for what it is, sarcasm. Have you heard of it? It’s when you mix a little humor in with a little truth.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Perry
  
  Jun 13, 2013 at 3:46 pm
  
  Absolutely agree. I posted but was censored as far as I can tell. Mr. Williams should be ashamed of himself. So should the moderator that censored me.
  
  Reply Report comment
scoot

Jun 12, 2013 at 5:44 pm

yada yada yada. fifteen yrs of frustration is Sergios way of being a “good” man. U blew it again El Nino

Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

Follow Club Junkie everywhere:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubjunkiepod/
X: https://x.com/ClubJunkiePod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clubjunkiepod
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@clubjunkiepod

Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag